Stinging News from Beekeepers: NZBI's Call for Government Intervention
In a pressing communication, New Zealand Beekeeping Inc (NZBI) is bringing the concerns of the country's beekeepers to the forefront, urging the incoming government to address critical issues plaguing the industry.
As reported by Apiarist's Advocate, a leading monthly beekeeping magazine, NZBI has meticulously crafted a four-page public brief outlining essential changes it seeks from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The objective is to establish a "competent, legitimate, and efficient" service for beekeepers, particularly representing the interests of small to mid-size apiarists.
The Apiculture Briefing from NZBI not only assesses the current state of the honey industry, describing it as "shrinking and economically distressed," but also puts forth a comprehensive agenda featuring five key recommendations for immediate attention.
The briefing highlights the adverse impact on pollination as hive numbers decline, attributing the industry's struggles to issues such as honey returns falling below the cost of production, larger firms squeezing out smaller operators, and governmental and industry group failures regarding mānuka definitions and protections.
NZBI expresses concerns about the recent "boom to bust" pattern in the honey industry and questions the governance structure of the American Foulbrood Pest Management Agency. The organization opposes Apiculture New Zealand (ApiNZ) overseeing the agency, citing rising AFB incidence, escalating levies, and diminishing value for levy money invested.
Addressing auditing requirements for Risk Management Plans, NZBI deems audits of inactive plants as "abusive" and contrary to the public interest. The brief underlines biosecurity as an unspoken but critical issue, emphasizing the inevitability of further incursions and expressing little confidence in MPI's current biosecurity operations.
In its plea to the new government, NZBI urges consideration of competing proposals to the recent 10-year Plan review and calls for reforms in auditing practices, industry governance, and biosecurity measures. The beekeeping industry's future hangs in the balance, and NZBI's impassioned plea serves as a call to action for immediate intervention.
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