Tuesday, 08 September 2020 06:25

Stung at border

Written by  Peter Burke
Apiculture NZ chief executive, Karin Kos. Apiculture NZ chief executive, Karin Kos.

Apiculture NZ is seeking assurances from authorities that the country’s beekeepers won’t be faced with the same problems that their Auckland colleagues did when that region went into lockdown.

Karin Kos, Apiculture NZ chief executive, says beekeepers in the Auckland region thought because they were classed as an essential industry during the first lockdown that they would have no trouble moving through the police checkpoints. However, this wasn’t the case.

Kos says it turned out that they had to apply for special exemptions from the Ministry of Health to get in or out of Auckland and it took about a week for these permits to materialise. She says the Ministry for Primary Industries was very helpful and managed to facilitate the permits.

“But it did take a week and fair amount of work to get the exemption in place,” Kos told Rural News

“We had beekeepers who had hives over the border and coming out of winter they needed to check that the bees were okay, well fed and ready for the honey season. They weren’t able to get to them.” 

Kos says now that they have worked through the process in Auckland, Apiculture NZ hopes that this will mean that in any future lockdowns there won’t be the same hassles.

More like this

Creating a buzz on World Bee Day

The message for the 2025 World Bee Day is a call to action for sustainable practices that support bees, improve food security, and protect biosecurity in the face of mounting climate pressures.

Honey industry group set to merge

A big shakeup in the honey sector is about to take place with the news that the industry good body, ApiNZ, and the export focused Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association are looking to merge to form a new industry body.

Beehive burning causes spat between apiarist and agency

The agency charged with controlling the serious bee disease American Foul Brood (AFB) has defended itself against criticism from a North Canterbury beekeeper who was recently ordered to destroy equipment following a find of AFB spores in his storage shed.

Featured

India FTA negotiations end

A landmark moment for New Zealand. That's how  Prime Minister Christopher Luxon describes the conclusion of negotiations for an India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.

HortNZ celebrates 20 Years

More than 150 people turned up at Parliament recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ).

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Yes, Minister!

OPINION: The release of the Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill to replace the Resource Management Act is a red-letter day…

Two-legged pests

OPINION: Federated Farmers has launched a new campaign, swapping ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ for ‘The Twelve Pests of Christmas’ to…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter