Fragmentation and Fragmentation
The country’s honey sector is facing significant challenges, with the lack of a unified voice for its thousands of producers, beekeepers, and exporters contributing to the sector’s decline. The situation is complicated by the fragmentation of the industry, with various advocacy groups, charitable trusts, and agencies vying for influence and resources.
- The National Beekeepers’ Association and Federated Farmers’ Bee Industry group were merged to form Apiculture New Zealand (ApiNZ) in 2016 to better represent the industry’s interests.
- However, despite the formation of ApiNZ, the industry has continued to experience fragmentation, with various groups emerging to address specific needs and concerns.
A New Model of Leadership
In an effort to address the fragmentation and find a more sustainable future for the industry, ApiNZ has launched a new project to “regenerate apiculture leadership”. The project aims to explore new models of leadership and representation that can better serve the industry’s needs.
- The project received $150,000 in funding from the Honey Industry Trust to support its development.
- ApiNZ is seeking to find a way to sustainably fund the organization and develop an industry-good organization model.
Industry Challenges
The industry is facing significant challenges, including declining hive numbers and reduced exports. The sector’s exports earned $420 million in the year to June, largely to the main importer, the United States.
| Year | Exports |
|---|---|
| 2018 | $420 million |
| 2020 | $320 million |
Need for a Unified Voice
The lack of a unified voice for the industry’s producers, beekeepers, and exporters is a significant challenge. Beekeepers, who are the backbone of the industry, are facing significant challenges, including hive losses due to bee health challenges like varroa mite and American Foulbrood.
“The problem with Apiculture New Zealand is that it ended up having marketers in the same room as producers, and our needs are quite different,” said Jane Lorimer, president of NZ Beekeeping Incorporated.
Communication Breakdown
The current advocacy model is not meeting the needs of the industry’s producers, many of whom are struggling to make a living due to rising fees and levies within the sector. To export honey, keepers are often working below the cost of production, highlighting the need for a more effective communication system.
Exploring New Options
NZ Beekeepers Incorporated is exploring new options for representation, including working together with other industry groups to develop a more unified industry. “We see that we really do need to work together in a process for the good of the industry and work as a single unit towards a united industry,” said Lorimer.
A New Path Forward
ApiNZ is seeking to find a new path forward for the industry, one that addresses the challenges and fragmentation that have plagued the sector for years. The organization is exploring new models of leadership and representation, with the goal of developing an industry-good organization model that can sustainably fund the industry.
Apiculture New Zealand (ApiNZ) is a representative body for the country’s beekeepers, producers, and exporters, established in 2016 to better represent the industry’s interests.
– ApiNZ: The representative body for the country’s beekeepers, producers, and exporters. – NZ Beekeepers Incorporated: A voluntary funded organization that represents the industry’s producers. – New Zealand Bee Health and Biosecurity charitable Trust: A charity that collects levies and enforces the pest management plan for American Foulbrood.
– The industry is facing significant challenges, including declining hive numbers and reduced exports. – The lack of a unified voice for the industry’s producers, beekeepers, and exporters is a significant challenge. – ApiNZ is exploring new models of leadership and representation to address the fragmentation and find a more sustainable future for the industry.
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