We returned from Apimondia’s International Symposium on ApiMedica and ApiQuality, held over the 22nd – 25th of November in Rome, buzzing with fresh information on bee husbandry and welfare, best practice honey production and food safety, as well as the intriguing use of bee products in modern medicine.
Apimondia is the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations. It was founded in 1895 and is the world organisation representing the interests of apiculture. It aims to facilitate links between beekeepers, scientists and all involved with apiculture through the organisation of international symposia and congresses. Apimondia is run on a basis of co-operation between beekeeper, scientists and organisations from around the world. In 2007, Apimondia was held in Melbourne, Australia for the first time in 30 years, and Capilano was proud to be a major sponsor.
Attending world class industry events like Apimondia demonstrates Capilano’s commitment to Australia’s bee welfare, as well as our dedication to creating a sustainable honey industry based on global best practices.
In a recent article on news.com.au, it was reported that 1.4 billion jobs could be impacted if the global decline in bees, and other pollinators, is not halted. Sadly, this is not breaking news to us, which is why Capilano invest significantly in a range of initiatives to promote bee health, effective biosecurity and to support beekeeper education.
With increasing global research being undertaken to determine the causes of bee decline, such as pesticide use and proliferate bee diseases, Capilano submitted a paper to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), calling for the review, reduction and, ideally, the removal of neonicotinoids use in Australia. This remains a focus for us as we move into the new year.
Australia is blessed with a clean environment where agriculture is less intense and there are a broad range of melliferous plants for bees to forage. It was pleasing to see this recognised at Apimondia. We believe reducing bees exposure to chemicals in the environment and ensuring Australian bees are kept free of Varroa is crucial to bee welfare, and we will continue our efforts to safeguard the future of Australian bees.
The next Apimonida will be the 45th Congress, held in Istanbul Turkey on the 29th September until the 4th of October, 2017. We aim to attend this event, marking our 64th year of involvement with the congress.