Bee conference on again post-covid
Hundreds of beekeepers, and others from the apiculture industry, will gather in Rotorua next month, for the first time in two years, to discuss issues facing their industry and to find the country’s best honey.
Apiculture New Zealand’s annual conference and trade exhibition returns to the Rotorua Energy Events Centre from Thursday 24 June to Saturday 26 June, with the theme “Healthy Bees, Healthy Industry, Healthy Future”.
Apiculture New Zealand chief executive Karin Kos says beekeepers are looking forward to reconnecting and discussing some of the big issues facing their industry, especially after last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid restrictions.
“Beekeeping can be a relatively solitary profession, so people look forward to coming together, learning about the latest bee science and industry developments, catching up with their mates from around the country, as well as putting their honey to the test,” she says.
The conference will feature presentations on some of the big issues in bee health including how climate change is impacting plant and pollinator interactions, advancements in varroa management and the use of science innovations in dealing with threats to bees. Issues affecting the health of the industry will also be discussed with sessions on the changing global honey market, beekeeping through financial tough times and using science to find the next big New Zealand honey, are just some of the topics on offer.
A highlight of Conference is the National Honey Competition where honey producers from across the country vie for medals across a range of categories. Karin says beekeepers are already preparing honey, and other bee-related produce, for this event. “The competition is a chance to show off the hard work of their bees and to taste what other people have been doing,” she says. “It is extremely popular with delegates and very highly contested.”
Successes in innovation, sustainability, research and photography in the apiculture industry will also be celebrated at Conference.