Bee Alliance Convenor – “It was Everything I Wanted it to Be”
On September 10, after five months of planning, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)-led “Bee Alliance” gathered in Wellington for the first time, bringing together representative groups from most corners of apiculture and even some growers.
“I’ve managed to get everyone to base camp, and that in itself is an achievement, but now we have to climb the mountain,” is how MPI programme director for export growth Terry Copeland summarises the first Bee Alliance gathering.
Copeland first reached out to various groups from around the beekeeping industry in May to test the mood of the industry for a gathering, potentially regularly, that would allow the Ministry greater understanding of the apiculture industry and provide support.
Among those who made the invite list and attended the inaugural gathering in the capital were Honey and Bees New Zealand (HBNZ), UMF Honey Association (UMFHA), Mānuka Charitable Trust, New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated, NZ Bee Health and Biosecurity, Auckland Beekeepers Club president Ken Brown, and Comvita chief executive Karl Gradon.
“It was everything I wanted it to be and the organisations we talked about including all came,” Copeland says.
Following the meeting HBNZ and UMFHA released a statement extolling its success.
“The meeting provided a renewed sense of optimism that, through the Alliance, we can build cohesion across the sector, coordinate and align efforts, pool resources, and achieve more together,” HBNZ chairman Murray Bush says.
Copeland says the day was divided into several sessions, with the first determining what the purpose of the Alliance should be – “Distinct from the individual organisations who are already out there doing their own thing”.
Three main areas will shape that purpose according to Copeland. Firstly, unity across the value chain.
“If we can create visibility and unity across the value chain we will all be better off. At governance level, above all the individual organisations, would be the place to do that,” Copeland says.
Collaboration to improve productivity was also defined as a key purpose – “How do we improve productivity from a governance level, with a macro view? The Alliance might be quite helpful in that regard.”
Thirdly, cohesion in better telling the industry’s story was identified as needed.
“The honey exporters talk about product in market, but we don’t have a cohesive story that talks about the benefit of bees. Whether it is pollination, ecosystem health, the amazing products generated from beehives beyond just honey, the health and wellbeing products. How do we tell our story more holistically, and tell it better?” Copeland says.
The Alliance was conscious it did not want to make meetings a “talkfest” Copeland reports, and so a programme of work scope has been set which includes data collection; biosecurity and a better understanding of varroa; and pollination.
There was strong support for monthly meetings going forward Copeland says, and so dates have been set in October, November and December for the Alliance to again meet in Wellington, with the next scheduled for October 16.
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