Creditors have tipped Brown family companies Springbank Honey Ltd and Glenburn Green Ltd, both of North Canterbury, into receivership. Debts include more than two million dollars outstanding to beekeepers for honey. The list of those waiting to be paid is long but asset sales may be complicated by potential risk of American foulbrood (AFB) contamination and an ongoing investigation by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Meanwhile, the Brown family continues to trade th

While many around New Zealand beekeeping circles have viewed the news of Springbank Honey’s forced receivership (as detailed in Springbank Honey Forced to Receivership, Beekeepers Owed Millions) with a “good riddance” response, for some it is not as simple as that. At least six beekeeping or honey businesses are still owed substantial sums of money, including two couples at either end of their careers. Dale Gifford, limited physically, has seen his plans for retirement upset

After a highly eventful six years on first the board of the American Foulbrood (AFB) Management Agency and then seeing through its transition to the New Zealand Bee Health and Biosecurity Trust (NZBB) as chairperson, Mark Dingle recently departed the seat, replaced by Simon Cook. He reflects on a much-changed industry and what’s next.