Honey sector strategy aiming for sweet spot
While confident that the apiculture sector can meet its target of doubling honey exports by 2030, chair of ApicultureNZ, Nathan Guy, says it will be challenging.
Sampling has been completed for the largest and most detailed study of honey bee health ever undertaken in New Zealand.
More than 60 beekeepers have participated in Biosecurity New Zealand’s Bee Pathogen Programme and had their hives tested every six months for two and half years.
Biosecurity New Zealand senior scientist, Dr Richard Hall, says the research will provide a wealth of valuable information to the beekeeping industry.
“The Bee Pathogen Programme will help us better understand the effect that diseases, climate and apiary management practices have on colony losses and productivity,” he says.
“We have completed sampling and our experts have begun carefully evaluating the huge amount of data that has been collected.
“This includes studying more than 130,000 honey bees from 300 samples taken throughout the country that are now archived in Biosecurity New Zealand’s freezers.
“Once the data has been carefully evaluated it will be available to the beekeeping industry and to researchers for further analysis.”
Biosecurity New Zealand is aiming to release its conclusions from the Bee Pathogen Programme in late 2019.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.
Listed Canterbury milk processor Synlait’s shares have been placed in a trading halt.