Made beeline for Beehive

MOOVING PROTEST: Korakonui apiarists, Jeremy and Fiona O’Brien with the truck-mounted display Mrs O’Brien drove to the Beehive. 101061AD

By Grant Johnston

Unlike the bees they work with, beekeepers are a fairly individualist lot. But they swarmed together to the Beehive last Tuesday to protest Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry action they believe has the potential to cripple their industry with huge flow-on effects for agriculture and horticulture.

Over 100 beekeepers from throughout the country converged on Parliament to deliver the message that the Government should reconsider its decision to clear the way for importation of honey and bee products from Australia.

“There is no way the Minister (of Biosecurity, Jim Anderton) has been able to reassure us that there is any certainty New Zealand hives will not be exposed to European Foulbrood because of this action,” says Korakonui apiarist Fiona O’Brien.

Such was Mrs O’Brien’s commitment to the cause, while husband Jeremy stayed home and tended their 800 hives, she drove their company (Beeline) four and a half tonne truck to Wellington. With the help of Otorohanga Vet Centre’s iconic cow, Mabel, some hives, clover and hay etc, an impressive display was mounted on the truck which made it all the way to Parliament.

European Foulbrood is a bacterial disease which kills honey bee larvae. The disease is not normally fatal to the colony, but it may kill so many larvae that the diseased hive will not produce surplus honey or be used for pollination. It can survive in honey and other bee products and could come here via illegal importation of honey, royal jelly or pollen. If it became established here, normal honey production could only be maintained through use of antibiotics, causing potential resistance and marketing problems.

Mrs O’Brien says the industry though the Varroa Mite was bad - with 27,000 less hives and 2000 less beekeepers since it spread to New Zealand.

“But this could have a disastrous effect on New Zealand’s honey industry,” she told the Courier.

She says most King Country beekeepers headed to Wellington along with Ohaupo beekeepers. Te Awamutu beekeepers weren’t able to join us but we had their full support.

Mrs O’Brien says Taranaki-King Country MP Shane Ardern provided tremendous support in Wellington. The National Party biosecurity spokesperson apparently asked plenty of tough questions in the House.

“But from what we can gather from Mr Anderton’s responses, opening up to Australian honey and bee products is trade off for our apples being allowed into Aussie.”

See related story page 5 of today's Courier (11th April 2006).