Apiary Industry

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding the apiary industry in South Australia. Will the minister update the council about the new initiatives the Department of Primary Industries and Regions have developed to assist the apiary industry in South Australia?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:53): I thank the honourable member for his question. The apiary industry in South Australia plays a key role in pollinating agricultural and horticultural crops valued at an estimated $1.7 billion and produces more than $12 million in honey bee products annually.

I recently had the opportunity to host a round table of key stakeholders from the apiary industry to discuss the importance and value of the sector and the significant contribution they make to our agricultural sector. Over the past two years, we have seen increased risks to the apiary industry with the emergence and confirmation of varroa mite both in New South Wales and, more recently, in Victoria. I think it is important to stress, however, that there has been no such detection of varroa mite in South Australia to date.

Varroa mite is a distinctive, small mite around one millimetre in diameter, and is a parasite of the European honey bee and the Asian honey bee. It is, indeed, the most serious global pest of honey bees. If a hive is infested and left untreated, the hive is likely to die within three to four years. However, I am delighted to update this place today about the work being carried out by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions in recruiting for three new roles which will support beekeepers in monitoring their hives against the threats of varroa.

The department is recruiting one full-time extension and engagement coordinator and two varroa development officers. Both the extension and engagement coordinator and the varroa development officers will support the delivery of national workshops and further engage with and provide training and extension activities to enhance the skills and knowledge of South Australian beekeepers via small group sessions across the state.

The extension and engagement coordinator will work with other jurisdictional extension and engagement coordinators and the national coordinator to deliver eight large-scale workshops across the state to provide a broad understanding of varroa. The two new varroa development officers will be contactable for advice, assist at workshops, support hive health management and assist beekeepers to collect and submit sample results. The varroa development officers will need to meet national objectives and targets under the national varroa mite management plan, but also need to include measures on how best to engage with South Australian beekeepers specifically.

Varroa development officers will lead information sessions delivered to small groups and face to face, focused on specific topics, even down to toolbox and field talks demonstrating monitoring methods. They will be highly mobile and working in each region of South Australia. Their roles will include attendance at association meetings, assistance to form or develop beekeeping groups, utilising beekeepers as a sentinel network across South Australia, expanding and improving communications with all South Australian beekeepers and more.

The varroa development officers will work with the two principal South Australian beekeeping associations (the SAAA and the BSSA), beekeeping groups and individual beekeepers, and that includes commercial and recreational registered beekeepers, to ensure varroa mite management information is delivered to South Australia's beekeeping community. All extension avenues, including face-to-face workshops, online and self-paced training, along with educational and awareness resources, will be provided free of charge to beekeepers.

I would like to place on the record my appreciation to both the Department of Primary Industries and Regions as well as the apiary industry in South Australia for their continued collaboration.