Beekeepers oppose honey levy

Beekeepers are mounting a campaign against a commodity levy, saying they cannot afford it.

Apiculture NZ is pressing for the levy, which will be paid based on honey production. Voting has begun and will close on March 1.

NZ Beekeeping, which represents about 1500 beekeepers, is opposed to what it says is a ‘‘tax on honey’’, arguing a commodity tax does not fit the industry because beekeepers produce a number of products. There are about 8000 registered beekeepers in the country.

‘‘We have multiple commodities that we produce, unlike a dairy farmer who produces only milk or a kiwifruit grower who produces only kiwifruit,’’ president Jane Lorimer said.

There was also a wide gulf between what ma¯nuka honey beekeepers earned compared to pasture and bush honey beekeepers, yet the levy of 10c per kilogram would be charged to both.

‘‘The price for pasture honey has dropped from $10-12 a kg, currently it’s down to $4-6, which is back to what it was eight years ago. So we’re heading for an incredible downturn in the industry if that price continues.’’

Lorimer said her organisation was prepared to pay for specific projects rather than a general levy. Already there was one to tackle American foulbrood disease costing $2 million, and the possibility of a payment for a governmentindustry biosecurity agreement.

‘‘So if they’re looking at a levy of $2m for each of those, beekeepers could be forking out $6m.’’

She questioned whether Apiculture NZ was appropriate to manage industry funds.

‘‘It lacks beekeeper focus, is a poor communicator with beekeepers, is too dominated by larger corporate players, too focused on ma¯ nuka honey, and has shown itself unwilling to really confront the Ministry for Primary Industries’ poor record as a regulator,’’ Lorimer said.

She predicted the vote would be a ‘‘close call’’. Younger beekeepers did not know the history of the industry, there had been a commodity levy in the past which wasted a lot of money on administration, she said.

ApiNZ chief executive Karin Kos said the levy would be on honey volumes and not hives, so that in years of poor production, beekeepers would pay less.

While beekeepers provided other products and services such as pollination, propolis or bee pollen, they also produced honey.

Kos said this season was ‘‘challenging’’ with prices falling for certain honeys but she argued it was the very time when a levy was needed. ApiNZ had looked at a tiered rate for ma¯nuka honey but found it would be difficult to implement.

Lorimer also criticised the way the referendum was being run, the extent to which the Ministry for Primary Industries had helped this process, and the extent to which funds and resources from the existing biosecurity levy for American foulbrood had been diverted inappropriately to support the levy vote.

Kos refuted the charges, saying the election process had complete integrity, with the elections being run by the independent agency, Electionz.com.

SUPPLIED Beekeepers who make pasture honeys such as clover say they will be out of pocket if they have to pay a levy because they do not earn as much as ma¯nuka honey producers.