The Transition to Management (T2M) rollout is under way. 

NSW DPI have completed the first ‘Train the Trainers’ event in NSW and I attended one of the NSW Varroa Management Workshop provided by the T2M in early April in Bega, NSW.  I encourage everyone to make the effort to get along to one of these workshops.  There is a lot of good information to assist beekeepers to make informed decisions on managing varroa.  There are a limited number of workshops so make the effort and get to one near you. 

 I strongly encourage everyone that attends these workshops to get the contact details for the Varroa Development Officers (VDO’S) in your state and keep them handy. 

AHBIC will be focusing on other parts of the T2M such as Code of Practice and Biosecurity Manual updates and importantly an Australian COLOSS survey as we move forward. 

 If you have never attended a state conference now would be an excellent time to start.  I am sure that all state conferences will have a range of speakers to talk on varroa monitoring, treatments and the latest research. This knowledge will assist your business decisions with regard to varroa and its management. Have a look at our events page for a state beekeeping event near you: https://honeybee.org.au/events/

Want to provide your constructive feedback personally to AHBIC? – I recommend you attend your state conference, where at least AHBIC CEO or Chair will be in attendance so you can approach us to have a chat.  Another way to formally reach AHBIC is via the state body conference – we encourage beekeepers to raise issues in General Business at your state association conference requesting they are put through to AHBIC. 

 AHBIC continues to lobby the APVMA to have as many mite treatments as possible approved for use in Australia.  An application for ApiBioxal (Oxlaic Acid) was submitted at the start of the year and we await feedback from APVMA and NSW DPI.  Approvals are a slow process. Other issues we are working through are export protocols, surveillance hives and other biosecurity matters. 

 The CEO has had a well earnt break.  Thank you to Bianca who has covered for him in his absence. AHBIC work and meetings to attend do not stop for anyone.  A thank you to Jon Lockwood for stepping in to cover me for a couple of meetings in the next week or two.  AHBIC is very much a team effort. From the guidance given by member bodies to fine tuning by the executive and the mundane but necessary meetings attended by several people.  This all helps to raise AHBIC’s profile and to make sure that AHBIC focuses on the priorities that have been set by the strategic plan and our member bodies.  

Stephen Targett
Chair