A Microcosm of Beekeeper Trials and Unrest

The latest in industry group New Zealand Beekeeping Inc’s (NZBI) ‘roundtable’ meetings was held online on September 17 in an attempt to progress beekeeper thinking towards a more enticing national group to represent their interests. While a “strawman” constitution was presented, the video-call proved more an insight into the limitations that for years have driven beekeepers from taking up membership in any industry body en mass.

Southern North Island Beekeeping Group (SNIBG) riled at not officially being invited to participate in Apiculture New Zealand’s (ApiNZ) latest consultation roadshow, there was argument around mānuka honey versus all other varieties, as well as honey packing and marketing needs versus those solely of beekeepers and, while several younger beekeepers on the call were highly optimistic about their industry’s future, it became apparent many hadn’t done their homework – namely read the very document they had assembled to discuss. On top of that, the meeting itself could be seen as jumping the gun on ApiNZ’s concurrent process to re-draw what an ideal industry body might look like, and their CEO Karin Kos only attended for 15 minutes. All in all, while the online gathering of 22 beekeepers might have helped shape some thinking on industry representation, it also played out as a microcosm of why beekeepers have struggled to unite.

Around 20 beekeepers tuned in to the latest online ‘roundtable’ meeting hosted by NZBI, where the industry’s struggles to unite were laid bare.

Kos set the table for the 90-minute meeting with her brief appearance where she outlined findings from ApiNZ’s six meetings with beekeepers around the country. NZBI has been involved in some of those meetings and going forward Kos tipped at further collaboration, which has been advanced since (as detailed in ‘Next Steps’ – ApiNZ and NZBI Set Out a Collaborative Timeline). 

Meeting facilitator and NZBI advisor Ian Fletcher introduced a “strawman” constitution (meaning it is formed to create discussion, but intended to be defeated). Rather than facilitate discussions into the specifics of that document – which proposed a voluntarily funded group for beekeepers allowing other industry good groups to enter under affiliated memberships – it was more macro-level conversation that flowed.

SNIBG secretary Alan Richards warned against a predominance on mānuka honey, stressing the focus of any group should be on all honey varieties and at present he “can’t survive” on the current $7.50/kg pricing. In reply, Gavins Apiaries owner Liam Gavin from Northland stated that the rising tide of mānuka honey pricing has lifted the value of other honeys in the past and he believes it will again.

“No shade on pollination, but this industry did not grow to where it did off pollination, it was mānuka honey that did it. The same reason lower value honeys went up, because mānuka is worth more,” Gavin said.

Earning those gains again will take investment from an industry body though the Northland beekeeper believes.

“As a young person, I don’t want to do this job if I make nothing out of it. Why would I bother?... Growing mānuka honey overseas is important and you can’t do that without marketing.”

Bay of Plenty beekeeper Kowan Eyers, owner of Eyers Apiaries, weighed in.

“I am a commercial pollinator and do just over 5000 placements into kiwifruit orchards. I don’t produce a drop of mānuka honey, but if it wasn’t for mānuka honey we would be crashed really. I am under no illusion that I only get $7.50/kg for my honey because of the success of mānuka. We need mānuka to succeed,” Eyers said.

As for packers and beekeepers collaborating, there was some agreement that an affiliation model as suggested by Fletcher could work.

“If you have a single board with mixed membership, do you just end up with the same problem we have now?” MyApiary management software provider and non-commercial beekeeper Darren Bainbridge asked.

Summing up the challenge, Fletcher says getting the “balance” between the whole commercial supply chain and how it is represented is crucial.

However that is done, and regardless of the challenges faced previously – and still presently as the meeting portrayed – from some quarters there is plenty of optimism for the future of beekeeping businesses, and even the process being followed for improved advocacy.

“I’m excited to see where the industry is going,” said Matt Goldsworthy of Goldsworthy Apiaries in Nelson.

“I’m optimistic about where this is going,” added Rory O’Brien of Hunt and Gather Bee Co in Raglan.

“Let’s get on with it,” Cameron Martin of Galatea Apiaries in the Bay of Plenty was heard to offer.