Resources and Links
for commercial and hobby beekeepers
Over the past years, there has been an upsurge of interest in beekeeping, particularly as a hobby, in both rural and urban areas. It is a pursuit that gives great rewards and pleasure, whether hobby or commercial.
This activity is unique where the main resources, nectar and pollen, are rarely owned by the beekeeper and the bees are unable to be confined behind a fence.
Successful beekeeping, whether with one hive or many, is achieved through knowledge, understanding, practice and building experience and confidence
Economic VALUE of BEEKEEPING
to Queensland
Honey – $64 million
Food crop pollination – $2.4 billion
Economic VALUE of BEEKEEPING
to Australia
Honey & hive products – $100 million
Food crop pollination – $14.2 billion
Every third mouthful of food we eat
requires pollination by honey bees.
Our knowledge and understanding of honey bees is the vital link between honey bees, pollination of food crops and our nation’s ability to securely produce sufficient foods for all Australians and for export to some countires.
Beekeeping
Contacts
Beekeeping in Queensland
Legislation, Registration
& Guidelines
Books & Web Sites
for Beekeeping
Beekeeping
Videos
When a beekeeper produces and sells more than 1,500 kgs honey in a calendar year, a statutory Honey Levy is required to be lodged and paid to the Australian Department Agriculture & Water Resources (DAWR).
NO Levy Money goes to any beekeeping association or organization. This is a government levy of 4.6 cents per kg which is allocated to the following four (4) areas to benefit all beekeepers in Australia.
1) EPPR 2.7 cents per kg allocated to Emergency Plant Pest Response program – eg. assist in reponse to & eradication of exotic bee incursions into Australia
2) NRS 0.3 cents per kg allocated to National Residue Survey – this assists in exporting honey
3) PHA 0.1 cents per kg allocated to Plant Health Australia – Levy money helps fund State Bee Biosecurity Officer programs through Plant Health Australia
4) R&D 1.5 cents per kg allocated to Research & Development – eg. research into & development of control measures of the small hive beetle
The higher the number of beekeepers paying this statutory levy, the greater the benefits available to all Queensland (and Australian) beekeepers. For more information on Honey Levy and Charge Rates visit the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment web site.