CEO Report November 2024

November has been a busy month for the team with work continuing on the T2M, imported honey, National surveillance program and varroa treatment options consuming much of our time. In this update I talk about the new permit for ApiBioxal, the separation of the existing permits and the consultation for the Code of Practice (CoP) and Emergency Plant Pest Response (EPPR) fund. 

ApiBioxal Permit Approval 

The APVMA has approved a use permit for ApiBioxal, for two application methods; dribbling and vaporisation (fogging).  This is the culmination of a significant piece of work lead by the NSW DPIRD and continually pushed by AHBIC.  The permit approval process has taken 10 months since the permit application was submitted with the application work initiated mid-2023.  This demonstrates the long timeframes for applications at APVMA in getting new chemical treatment options available for industries use. 

The new permit allows beekeepers, in states that have approval (currently NSW and Vic), to treat their hives only with ApiBioxal.  The permit is not a generic blanket approval for the use of any Oxalic acid product, it is specifically the ApiBioxal product.  

The permit is held by NSW DPIRD but this allows for any retailer to sell the product to the public (except retailers in Tasmania) subject to local state legislation. Sales can only be made to beekeepers in states approved for use. For example: a South Australian supply store can sell to Vic or NSW beekeepers for use but not to a South Australian beekeeper.  There is no single approved suppler list associated with this permit as was the process for other previous permits. 

Transition from emergency use permits to minor use permits 

The APVMA and NSW DPIRD have also split the grouped emergency use permits into a single minor use permit per product.  As products achieve full registration and Australian labelled products begin to hit the market, the separation of the permits will allow for easier cancellation of the minor use permits in due course.  This is an administrative change and will not affect the use, except that supply business are no longer listed within the permit document.  This means that any supply business can now sell treatments but only to those beekeepers in states allowed to use them. 

Beekeeping Code of Practice Revision 

As part of the transition to management program we are updating the beekeeping industry Code of Practice (CoP).  This process has been widely consulted with industry and governments and their input has been collated into a final draft document.  Whilst most of the changes are minor it is proposed to lower the hive threshold, to which part C applies, from 50 or more to 5 hives or more.  This proposed change will create a lot of discussion, and we are again consulting widely with industry and government before finalising the document. 

Emergency Plant Pest Response Fund 

Hopefully many have seen the letters, presentations and social media posts further communicating the proposed increase to the EPPR levy to repay the varroa response.  The formal objection period is now open until the 18th December.  Click here to read about the proposed changes and how to lodge an objection. 

The Month Ahead 

As we roll into Christmas we will continue to work on the industry issues at hand but we note government shutdowns over Christmas may slow some of our progress. The last weeks of November we have an AHBIC member bodies meeting followed by an AHBIC board meeting and the Plant Health Australia AGM at the end of the month before wrapping up another big year for AHBIC. 

Danny LeFeuvre

CEO