News from across the beekeeping world
Lowest OSR acreage for decades
Latest forecasts suggest that the area of autumn-sown oilseed rape (OSR) will be down by between one-half and one- third this season because of the rains and growers’ reluctance to plant OSR as a result of the flea beetle threat.
This could have a major effect on the build-up of rural colonies this spring. You can read Peter Tomkin’s recollections of the impact of the first large-scale plantings of OSR in the 1970s (see page 9).
Graph sources: Defra, AHDB, Farmers Weekly
Scottish schools’ beekeeping
qualification Mearns Academy in Aberdeen is to become the third school in Scotland to set up a national progression award (NPA) course in beekeeping to be offered to pupils as a Scotish Qualifications Authority (SQA) course. About ten Mearns Academy pupils are expected to sit the NPA over the next year. The idea was initiated by two beekeeping teachers at the school. National Progression Awards (NPAs) assess a defined set of skills and knowledge in specialist vocational areas linked to National Occupational Standards. Last year, pupils at Kelso High School became the first to be awarded the beekeeping NPA. Wallace High School in Sterling also offers the qualification.
www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/80504.html
800,000 hectares 700,000 600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000
‘99 ‘00 ‘01 ‘02 ‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 *2020 figures forecast
Support for European beekeepers
European Union (EU) beekeepers increased honey production by 16% between 2014 and 2018. According to the European Commission, 17.5m hives in the EU are managed by 650,000 beekeepers. Together, these beekeepers are responsible for the production of 280,000 tonnes of honey in 2018, making the EU the world’s second largest producer of honey. An increase in the budget form €120m to €180m is proposed for the next agricultural budget round.
In 2018, among the eight eligible measures for apiculture programmes, almost 60% was spent on technical assistance and combating invasive species harmful to bees. Restocking beehives during the flowering season accounted for more than 30% of the budget. Other measures included applied research, analyses of apiculture products, product improvement and market monitoring.
tinyurl.com/BC2020-04-03
Meanwhile, European beekeepers have asked for Brussel’s protection against cheap imports of honey, particularly from Ukraine and China.
tinyurl.com/BC2020-04-04 Events
24 May 2020 9.30am for 10am to 4.30pm
Helping bees live with varroa at Etington Community Centre, Warwickshire CV37 7SX
Hive theſts and vandalism continue. Two of Wimbledon BKA’s apiaries have suffered vandalism (but not theſt) within a few days of each other, or perhaps even on the same day.
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A Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association (BIBBA) event for beekeepers wanting to learn from experiences of helping bees live with varroa by reducing or eliminating chemical treatments.
www.bibba.com
Bee Craſt April 2020
Photo: Amanda Berry
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