CEO Update August 2025

CEO Report August 2025

July/August has been incredibly busy for most beekeepers with the largest livestock movement in Australia occurring. Nearly 300,000 hives have been moved into almond orchards this season. At the same time, crops like blueberries have also required bees for pollination, applying further pressure on supply.

Leading into almonds we had reports of highly variable colony strength across SA, Vic and NSW and decreased numbers of hives available as beekeepers leave weaker colonies at home. This created some panicked calls from beekeepers and growers leading into almond bloom. We have been doing our best to solve problems and connect growers/beekeepers where possible.

The interstate border restrictions and challenges around navigating the different permit systems has also created stress for beekeepers, brokers and some growers.

Whilst beekeepers have been busy on almonds, here at AHBIC we have been able to focus on getting a great deal of administration and project proposal writing done.

Virus Baseline testing

As part of the National Transition to Management Program a virus baselining project has been delivered. The aim of the project was to collect bee samples from around Australia and test for exotic viruses that might interact with varroa. Eight viruses were tested across 5,769 pools of samples with samples coming proportionally from all states and territories.

Across all samples there were no new viruses or exotic viruses to Australia detected. This gives us great confidence that viruses like deformed wing virus are not lurking broadly across the bee population at low levels. Interestingly rhabdovirus 1 & 2 was only detected in areas where varroa had established which reaffirms that this virus arrived with the varroa incursion.

For the endemic viruses for which testing was undertaken there was a very high prevalence of Black Queen Cell virus (94.8% of all pools tested were positive), Lake Sinai virus genotypes 1 & 2 (83.9%), Sacbrood virus (82.2%) and Israeli Acute paralysis virus (39.0%).

Almonds

A later than usual flowering across the major production areas bought some beekeepers time to get bees in, and growers some additional time to source last minute hives. A significant number of hives were brought in from Queensland into both Victoria and South Australia. There was a small shipment of hives from Western Australia delivered into South Australia this year to make up some shortfalls.

The almond footprint continues to grow with the Almond Boards newly released ‘Almond Insights’ publication sighting plantings are up 4% to 66,000ha. The statistics also show that self-fertile plantings are increasing to nearly 4,000ha of the total plantings. Nonpareil still dominates planting at 43% of all trees in the ground.

Apimondia

The global organisation representing beekeepers will hold their 49th congress in Copenhagen during September 23-27. The congress is being organised jointly by the beekeeper associations in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The vision for the congress is to showcase pure apiary products, create unity and knowledge sharing and together make the world bloom.

It is fantastic to see several Australian beekeepers travelling to attend the congress. As the Australian member of Apimondia, AHBIC appoints a delegate to represent Australia at the General Assembly. This congress the AHBIC board has appointed Jodie Goldsworthy as our official delegate. We thank Jodie for agreeing to volunteer her time to represent Australia in the global conversations.

Red Dwarf Honey Bee Incursion in WA

A total of 47 colonies have now been found and destroyed, 2 more than when I last reported. 27 abandoned nests have been located and there is now only 1 active foraging site of concern. All the current detections are still within 2km of the original IP, but all detections have had Euvarroa present.

The response is now using drone technology to assist in surveying difficult terrain and hard to reach areas. Over the next period the teams will continue to search for colonies using all available tools and with greater funding surety the response should accelerate.

The Month Ahead

During September, work will continue with the transition to management program, DAFF and imported honey and levies reform. The Manuka Honey Association and B-QUAL AGM’s will be held and a number of meetings with stakeholders have been scheduled across the month.

I hope Spring brings good conditions for those affected by drought and that beekeepers are able to stay on top of varroa numbers.

 

Danny LeFeurve

CEO

National Biosecurity Week: 25–31 August 2025

Protecting what matters. Together. 

This week we are shining a spotlight on the vital role biosecurity plays in protecting our environment, food supply, economy, and way of life. 

“Biosecurity isn’t just for farmers and government. It’s something we all have a role in — at home, at work, and in our communities,” said Sarah Corcoran, CEO of Plant Health Australia (PHA).

“Too often, people think biosecurity means border control and people in hazmat suits. They assume it’s government’s job. This year’s NBW aims to demystify biosecurity and show that it’s really about protecting the things we all value: our natural environment, our industries, and our way of life.
And everyone has a part to play.”
 

To support stronger engagement with everyday Australians, this year’s campaign features simple, practical ways for people to get involved. Whether it’s cleaning your shoes before visiting a farm, reporting something unusual in your backyard, or learning how biosecurity works, every action matters. 

 

How can everyday Australians get involved? 

Biosecurity action is simple, practical, and powerful:
✅ clean your shoes before visiting farms, parks or nature reserves.
✅ report anything unusual such as pests, diseases, weeds, or animals.
✅ take a few minutes to learn how biosecurity protects your community. 

Visit: National Biosecurity Week Website for lots more information and details.

 

If you see something unusual, don’t ignore it: 

• Exotic Plant Pest Hotline: 1800 084 881 

• Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888 

 

 

Bee sting: the varroa-mite incursion is a biosecurity warning – Andrew Henderson

When the varroa mite was first detected in Australia in 2022, many outside the beekeeping and horticultural industries viewed it as a nuisance—a distant problem for a few farmers. This was dangerously naive.

In breaching our perimeter, the varroa mite has created a strategic vulnerability. The mite, which attacks bees, reminds us that Australia’s island geography no longer shields us from biosecurity threats.

Biosecurity is a foundation of our food security. As ASPI analysts have consistently argued, food security is an indispensable part of national security. Penetration of our defenses by a threat like the varroa mite can destabilise markets and the very resilience and prosperity of rural and regional Australia. A nation unable to reliably feed itself faces diminished strategic power and internal fissures that can be exploited in an era of heightened competition.

A recent Rabobank report, ‘How varroa mites might impact Australian pollinators’, chillingly analyses this strategic exposure. It details how pollination demand has tripled since 1990, while commercially managed beehives have stagnated. The number of available pollinators is dangerously close to the minimum required to sustain key food production industries.

This is where the varroa mite incursion, which we’re no longer trying to eradicate, becomes a national security consideration. Rabobank’s analysis highlights that countries such as New Zealand and Canada experienced an approximate 8 percent decline in hive numbers within four to five years of varroa mite outbreaks. Modelling indicates pollination in Australia could fall substantially below demand within three to five years. The Australian Honeybee Industry Council has already warned of a national bee shortage for the vital almond pollination season.

The incursion has far-reaching consequences. Increased beekeeping costs, driven by the varroa mite, raise pollination fees, squeezing producer margins and undermining regional economies. Declining pollination leads to domestic food shortages, price volatility and potentially social unrest.

Such biosecurity failures are a tax on national bandwidth and increase pressure on agricultural industries that already provide substantial cash investments, often via unmatched biosecurity levies.

The varroa mite exposes a strategic blind spot where defence and security policy has not adequately integrated agricultural biosecurity. We cannot rely solely on our geography. Biosecurity must be treated as a multi-layered, whole-of-nation framework, continuously updated, exercised and funded as earnestly as military capabilities.

As the National Defence Strategy makes clear, national defence is a coordinated, whole-of-nation approach, harnessing all aspects of our national power, including economic resilience and secure supply chains. In a world where adversaries probe weak seams, resilient food systems deter as effectively as ships, planes and satellites. We must move beyond viewing biosecurity as solely an agriculture problem for farm gates, border checkpoints, or the chiefs of biosecurity alone.

The path forward requires a fundamental mindset shift, elevating biosecurity to a core national defence function. This could start with establishing national command and accountability, perhaps through a standing National Biosecurity Coordination Council in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and chaired at deputy-secretary level. It could drive the National Biosecurity Strategy’s implementation, whereas past review recommendations remain largely unfulfilled.

We must also build an improved sovereign detection and rapid-response capability with high-throughput genomic sequencing at ports and hubs, deploying on-farm diagnostics and standing up surge teams with sufficient authority. Speed is paramount, so approvals, indemnities, and compensation triggers must be templated in peacetime.

Furthermore, we must diversify pollination sources and harden supply chains. Treating pollination as critical infrastructure means supporting managed hives, incentivising backup providers and accelerating research into complementary pollinators. Major horticulture producers should maintain robust pollination contingency plans.

A critical opportunity lies in biologicals and biotechnology. We need to embrace next-generation tools, such as biological controls and genetic sequencing for rapid threat identification, and genetic engineering for innate resistance. While state and territory scientists are talented, their work often faces inconsistent funding. Research and development corporations with substantial, publicly matched budgets could strategically invest in biosecurity to avoid fragmented outcomes.

Such investments will enhance protection and develop sovereign industrial capability for long-term resilience. The long-term cost of inaction would far outweigh the upfront investment. This is a strategic calculation. We need to build these capabilities at home rather than relying solely on international partners.

We should also align incentives and compliance, making it easier to do the right thing and enforcing consistency. Public money should buy down risk, not subsidise its persistence. Finally, we should conduct regular national biosecurity wargames with realistic features, such as labour shortages, cross-border movement, supply chain disruption and misinformation. Current crisis exercises, such as Ex Convergence, are useful, but industry and states should not have to push for inclusion. We should publish exercise debriefs. We should do for pests and pathogens what we do for fires and floods.

The varroa mite has breached our perimeter and its full impact is yet to be realised. This could be a moment of truth for our national resilience. We cannot afford complacency. A national biosecurity strategy, modelled with the same rigour as national defence planning, is an imperative. Australia’s food security and our national defence depends on it.

 

Written by: Andrew Henderson 19 Aug 2025, re-published with permission from Australian Strategic Policy Institute; Bee sting: the varroa-mite incursion is a biosecurity warning | The Strategist

 

 

Andrew Henderson is the principal of Agsecure and a senior fellow at ASPI.

What Is the Honey Levy?

What is the Honey Levy?

The honey levy is a federal compulsory charge collected on all honey produced and sold in Australia at the first point of sale. It’s currently set at 5.6 cents per kilogram, and it applies to both commercial and amateur beekeepers who sell over 1,500kg per annum. While the amount per kilo might seem modest, when pooled across the nation’s beekeepers, the levy becomes a vital source of industry funding.

From 1 July 2025, the levy was increased by 1 cent per kilogram from 4.6 to 5.6 cents per kilogram. This temporary increase will be in place for six years and is specifically designated to repay the debt incurred from the national response to the Varroa mite incursion. This includes paying our share of the many services you may have participated in through the T2M program including Varroa Development Officers and training.

 

To read more about our honeybee industry levies

take a look at our webpage

 

2025 Australian Colony Loss Survey : opening soon!

The 2025 Australian Colony Loss Survey is about to open!

The Australian Colony Loss Survey team at the Australian National University (ANU) are working hard to bring the 2025 Colony Loss Survey questionnaire for a second round.

Launching 1st September.

Over 1000 beekeepers from across Australia took part in the 2024 Survey, giving us vital information about the most important current issues in Australian beekeeping. In this round, we’re hoping to hear from even more beekeepers! 

The Survey is your chance to tell the industry, government and researchers about the biggest challenges you faced as a beekeeper in 2025. Together, we can work out management strategies for them that will ensure a vibrant Australian honey bee industry for the future. 

The survey is for anyone and everyone who keeps bees anywhere in Australia! The survey take 7-15 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous. You have until 1 November 2025 to have your say. 

Take the survey and find out more information about COLOSS on the website!

 

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In case you missed out!

Takee a sneak peak at the details so far and the promising information that Coloss has the potential to deliver, take a look at the recent AgriFutures Unearthed Podcast to help us to understand the reasons behind Coloss, how beekeepers can better understand that completing the survey is so important and some big comparisons between Australian’s overall losses and the rest of the world!

 

AgriFutures Australia Unearthed Podcast

Episode 2: To bee or not to bee

This episode of AgriFutures new look podcast Unearthed, delves into the hives of Australia’s European honeybee population and the impact of the varroa mite on both the beekeeping industry and the crops that depend on pollination. To help keep track of varroa’s spread, and stay ahead of emerging pests and disease challenges, an early warning system in the form of an annual Colony Loss Survey as been implemented as part of the National Varroa Transition to Management Program, managed by the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council with support from AgriFutures Honey Bee & Pollination Program. Find out what the first Col Loss survey has revealed about the health and threats to our hives on Unearthed: The people changing Australian agriculture.

Friends of AHBIC

If you aren’t already a Friend of AHBIC, we welcome you to join our group of organisations and individuals who are supporting Australia’s national beekeeping industry that supports you.

BECOME A FRIEND

OUR CURRENT FRIENDS

Queensland Beekeepers Survey

If you are a Queensland Beekeeper, the QLD Department of Primary industries wants to hear from you!

The Department of Primary Industries have contracted EY Sweeney (an independent market research company) to conduct research into how they are communicating with beekeepers about the management of varroa mite.

This is your opportunity to have your say and QLD DPI are eager to hear from all types of beekeepers, both recreational and commercial, across Queensland, as they understand the localised nature of beekeeping and the unique challenges faced in different regions.

The survey link can be completed by anyone, so please share with others if you would like to. QLD DPI want to hear from a range of beekeepers across Queensland.

The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete and is confidential and anonymous. Open until 5pm, Friday 5 September 2025

REACH THE SURVEY VIA THIS LINK

-You may close the survey down and re-enter at the point you left off using the link emailed to you.
– Select the relevant circles or boxes on each screen to mark your responses. Some questions may require you to type in your answers.

We hope you enjoy the survey!

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this research project, please contact Emily McCrann at EY (Emily.McCrann@au.ey.com) or Jake Lennon (Jake.Lennon@dpi.qld.gov.au).

B-QUAL

B-QUAL is an Industry Owned Quality Assurance System for Australian beekeepers.

How does B-QUAL certification benefit my business?

• Product integrity
• Quality Assurance
• HACCP based certification
• Regulatory compliance
• Industry best practice
• Biosecurity
• Access to domestic and export markets

B-QUAL Certification also enables an enterprise to market its product under the B-QUAL logo to show that it meets the B-QUAL Industry Standards.

Complete your training at home at your own pace.

For more information and to obtain a Certification Information Pack, contact the B-QUAL Certification team.

www.bqual.com.au
B-QUAL Pty Ltd
Phone 07 49949820
Email: admin@bqual.com.au

AHBIC Interstate Hive Movement Guideline 2025

 

CLICK HERE OR ON IMAGES TO OPEN DOCUMENT IN PDF TO ACCESS ALL LINKS