May 2026
> varroa pressure > varroa reinfestation, acute phase > next year worse > varroa chemical resistance on its way, probably to hit hardest during or after the acute phase passes > apiculture on public land policy confirmed, endorsed, enabling industry > pollination industries heading towards a production cliff and they don’t know it > VAA Apiary Business Navigator Program underway > industry action plan for more flexible chemical use > VAA annual conference is looming to be one of the more important conferences in recent times > industry on edge, beekeepers stressed, concerned and demanding to be heard > biosecurity grants delivering for industry at a time of need >>>
Dear Beekeepers,
We continue to be in a steady flux of change and stress – a complete industry paradigm shift to a new industry norm. We are grieving the old and doing our best to accept the new. As a result, we are leaning on our mates and industry supporters more than ever. Our bees will also need us more than ever. Varroa is a beast, and the looming resistant strain poses an even greater threat to the viability of our industry than the first incursion.
The first step forward is to support and talk to each other, including your peak body – VAA. My email is president@vicbeekeepers.com.au. My phone number is 0429 857 835. And I‟m keen to hear feedback, concerns and suggestions. If there are any other ways that you can be heard, please let me know.
> varroa Pressure > varroa reinfestation, acute phase > next year worse > varroa chemical resistance on its way, probably to hit hardest during or after the acute phase passes >>>
For many Victorian commercial and recreational beekeepers, we have had our first round in the fight against varroa. Most have had one or more rounds of treatments through their hives.
The next two years promises to be tough with relentless monitoring, treatment and the likelihood of reinfesting occurring. Plus, the likelihood of the resistance to synthetic pyrethroid and formamidine. We are going to have to get even more efficient at monitoring and very good at using organic treatments.
> Apiculture on public land policy confirmed, endorsed, enabling industry > pollination industries heading towards a production cliff and they don’t know it >>>
VAA Resources Committee: a state-wide win for Victoria’s commercial apiarists.
VAA recently took part in a landmark workshop with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). Titled Commercial Apiculture in Victoria: Building a Strategic Roadmap.
Building working relationships between commercial beekeepers and the Victorian government, the workshop marked a deliberate and structured effort to discuss and embrace our industry concerns with the view of making improvements.
Commercial Pollination: recognising what‟s at stake.
A central theme of the workshop was renewed appreciation of the economic weight that commercial pollination carries for Australian agriculture. The numbers are striking. Australia‟s honeybee industry underpins an estimated AU$14.6 billion in agricultural production nationally, with Victoria‟s commercial beekeepers playing a critical role in pollinating crops across the state. Even more so once varroa wipes out the vast majority of the feral, unmanaged populations across the state.
The high risk is that agriculture crops are going to fail, quality and quantity are going to suffer. Pollination demand and income for our services will go through the roof. Our hives will be booked solid from August to October, coast to coast, state to state.
The workshop gave both sides an opportunity to acknowledge that the future of the beekeeping industry and the broader agricultural sector is, quite literally, intertwined. With the demise of unmanaged feral colonies our honey flows and our progeny management will improve.
> apiary Business Navigator Program underway>>>
Friday 1 May marked the beginning of our delivery of the Apiary Business Navigator Program in collaboration with the NEAA and facilitated by Gavin Beever, Cumbre Consultants.
The day included the presentation of the resource documents from Ag Vic. All the documents from the workshops are available for download from the VAA‟s website in a new section specifically for this program. You can find the link under the Resources tab.
https://vicbeekeepers.com.au/Apiary-Business-Navigator-Program
The workshop program consisted of:
- overview of the entire program
- quality assurance as a business driver
- strategic planning for apiary business owners
- the business cost of varroa
- commercial apiary benchmarking project and
- questions and answers.
There were robust discussions between both presenters and participants. I‟d personally like to thank Tino Corsetti who was a driving force from the VAA, and James Rowe who was a key driver at AgVic kicking this program off. It is worth noting that through this program and our Edcomm program, we are taking VAA into a new era of delivering relevant and practical education to our membership.
> Industry action plan for more flexible chemical use>>>
An industry action plan (IAP) is a hot topic for our industry – nearing a flash point with our members. With resistant mites looming, options are king in beekeeping, and we need a full arsenal to fight this beast. As a state, we are in a very good position to be at the foothills of collaborating with AgVic to deliver an IAP to help deliver what our beekeepers want including more options, safe use of chemicals, beehives that survive, to be economically viable and for consumers to trust our products and our practices.
> Annual conference is looming to be one of the more important conferences in recent time>>>
VAA Annual Conference & AGM 2026: Register Now!
It is hard to believe we are just a few weeks away from this year‟s annual conference and AGM. The conference organising subcommittee has been working extremely hard to bring together another exciting and engaging program. This year, the event is being held at the Novotel Melbourne Airport. An accessible and central location for attendees travelling from regional Victoria, metropolitan Victoria, as well as interstate and overseas.
We are particularly excited to welcome these three distinguished industry experts:
Dr Peter Neumann, professor at the University of Bern and Director of the Institute of Bee Health, and chair of the COLOSS Association – the international non-profit working to improve bee well-being across more than 120 countries. (Via Zoom)
Dr Stephen Martin, chair in social entomology at Salford University, Manchester. Widely recognised for his pioneering work on the varroa mite and its association with viruses, including deformed wing virus.
Dr Cooper Schouten, senior research fellow and director of Southern Cross University‟s Bee Research and Extension Lab, whose work focuses on strategic beekeeping industry development with international experience across the Indo-Pacific.
VAA has held registration fees steady at the same level as the past three years, reflecting our commitment to making the conference as accessible as possible. Registrations are now open at www.vicbeekeepers.com.au/events. Last year‟s conference sold out. We are getting better and bigger at delivering our state conference. You will not want to miss this year‟s program. With varroa establishing itself across our state, and the threat of resistant mites on the horizon, now is the time to invest in your personal and professional development as a beekeeper and, more importantly, take every opportunity to engage with the wider beekeeping community. Together, we build resilience. Together, we are strong.
Industry on edge, beekeepers stressed, concerned and demanding to be heard >>>
Beekeepers need one voice more than ever, need one home more than ever, and one guardian more than ever. VAA is your peak body, and as a board we are more than willing to hear your concerns, suggestions and needs. We have an excellent long and established relationship with our friends at AgVic.
VAA is looking to strengthen its ties with our affiliates. If your club needs VAA to act, to listen, to take your concerns further then we want to hear from you.
Here are some additional resources to help beekeepers navigate these challenging times:
Lifeline: Provides 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services.
Website Phone: 131 144
Beyond Blue: 24/7 telephone mental health and support service.
Website Phone: 1300 224 636
Managing Stress on the Farm: A downloadable booklet from the National Centre for Farmer Health. The easy-to-read booklet designed to help you spot signs of stress early so you can take action.
Website Downloadable PDF
General Resources: AgVic has assembled links to a wide range of support resources for agricultural business owners and workers.
Website
>biosecurity grants delivering for industry at a time of need >>>
VAA Biosecurity Grants: Education and Research in Action
Ironbark Forest Research
The first project will result in published research providing a prescriptive strategy to save Victoria‟s Box Ironbark forests. This species is vital for honeybee health, yet due to its slow-growing nature, Ironbark forests cannot regenerate quickly after drought, fire or logging. Our findings will be sent to government to serve as a road map for future forest restoration. Thanks go to the working group who have already trekked across Victoria photographing exemplar forest sites as the foundation for this research. The project team and our lead researcher have already produced a highly detailed preliminary report, and the final report will be presented at this year‟s VAA Annual Conference in June.
Biosecurity Education and Communication
The second grant provides up to $50,000 per year over three years for the development of honeybee biosecurity education and communication programs. It‟s designed to fill the gap left by the end of the T2M and VDO programs earlier in 2026. With an outstanding committee driving this work, we have already designed and delivered two highly successful fullday workshops:
09 March 2026: an Advanced Varroa Management workshop for commercial beekeepers in Swanpool, attended by almost 100 commercial beekeepers from across Victoria.
02 May 2026: a Varroa Specialist workshop for recreational beekeepers and regional bee club biosecurity officers in northwest Melbourne, which reached registration capacity within just a few weeks, again almost 100 beekeepers.
Videos from these workshops can be viewed on the VAA Educational YouTube channel. This online video library is expanding every month and now boasts over 75 videos and almost 500 subscribers. Some videos have over 1,300 views.
See you in June at the conference.
Lindsay Callaway
President,
Victorian Apiarists‘ Association