16 Beekeepers risk
dumping charge Prairie producers do a better job at marketing, exporting
by MYRNA STARK LEADER KELOWNA – BC honey
producers need to do boost marketing efforts if they want to compete against their Prairie neighbours, Vancouver Island producer Stan Reist told beekeepers at the BC Honey Producers’ Association annual meeting on October 27. Reist, who represents the
BCHPA on the Canadian Honey Council, said Canadian honey production is up and this may lead the US to accuse Canada of dumping honey. He says part of the issue is that while there is lots of honey in Canada, people can source honey from anywhere, often cheaper than the local supply. Within Canada, Alberta,
Saskatchewan and Manitoba are the largest producers and in turn, exporters of honey. The three provinces account for more than 80% of the 92.2 million pounds of honey produced in Canada last year. BC producers harvested just
1.8 million pounds, which they’re able to sell for a premium within the province. Yet with more interprovincial trade expected under the Canada Free Trade Agreement unveiled earlier this year, BC producers inevitably face growing competition from their neighbours. “The honey council is
changing as we are more and more working with a global honey market,” said Reist. “In BC, we’re good at producing but not as good at marketing.” To this point, Judy
Campbell, responsible for the Certified Producers and Honey Label Program, told the attentive audience there are still plans for an online survey to gather producers’ ideas on marketing topics the association should focus on to apply for funding from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. One idea is consistent signage that would identify beekeepers to the public so consumers know who to approach with
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • DECEMBER 2017
HONEY IN THE HOUSE! The 2017 Best of BC Honey People’s Choice Award, which is determined from the top three placing honeys at the BC Honey Producers Association conference was won by Leonard Foster‘s lab at UBC with honey produced from some project hives. This was also the first time that the BCHPA expanded its mead competition to include an international call for commercial mead producers. There were 50 entries representing most of the commercial mead producers in Canada. MYRNA STARK LEADER PHOTO
questions, comments or concerns and to get factual information about honey. “We want local beekeepers to be more visible to the local community,” said Campbell. Reist encouraged
producers to work collaboratively with landowners that house or are
served by their bees. Most beekeepers do not own land and need foraging areas for their bees. Growth in urban producers continues and bee clubs are growing. No matter who the
producer is, Reist said public trust and social license are growing in importance. The
public expects to know what beekeepers are doing, that they’re doing it right, and in a way that respects living things. That is no different for bees, he said lifting his cell phone and commenting how fast bad information can spread and hurt the entire industry.
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