Shooters Fishers and Farmers MLC Mark Banasiak is calling on the Government to compensate beekeepers who must destroy their hives infected with varroa mite.
“There is growing concern within beekeeping communities that hives with varroa mites are not being destroyed due to the enormous financial impact it will have,” said Mr Banasiak.
“Compensation will incentivise those beekeepers to come forward and contact DPI, who will then destroy the hive and contain the spread of the mite.
“Varroa mite is a considerable biosecurity risk, bees pollinate $15 billion worth of agriculture output a year in Australia, and New South Wales is the largest beekeeping state.
“Beekeepers need to know the Government has their back.
“Compensation will show that and incentivise those beekeepers with varroa mite to come forward.
“Compensation to beekeepers would be minuscule compared to the impact this would have on agriculture and the cost to consumers in the end,” said Mr Banasiak.
