Government’s proposed cuts to NBU funding

How you can make your voice count

No doubt you read the plea for help from Ivor Davis in the December BBKA News. For more detail please Click here to read the full BBKA article.

Our County Secretary also asks that we write to our MPs requesting their help in changing the Government’s mind so that when the BBKA correspond with the Ministry and with Government, it will give BBKA the necessary clout if they can show they have the support of this country’s beekeepers.

We can make a difference – our Country Secretary reminds us: “Many of you responded by writing to MPs over the Financial Services levy that was to be imposed on BDI. The result was an overwhelming impact and the levy was rescinded.”

We need this impact again to maintain the excellent bee health programme of this country.  Regional and Seasonal Bee Inspectors are needed, nearly all EFB is found by them.  With deregulation, EFB will go unnoticed in many instances, leading to its spreading unchecked – and the possibility of a few beekeepers using unorthodox substances to combat it, which if infiltrated into the honey could lead to circumstances that could ruin our honey trade.

Key Points to be included in your letter to your MP are set out below.

Not sure of your MP’s name or contact details? Click the link below to find out.

           www.locata.co.uk/commons/

Please send a copy of your letter to your MP to BBKA Stoneleigh.

More information can be found on the DEFRA website

       http://www.defra.gov.uk/hort/Bees/index.htm

Key Points for a letter to your MP asking for support in reversing the Government’s proposed cuts to NBU funding

• The proposed cut is part of the Haskins Report
• They are proposing a £250,000 cut from £1.25 million pa (a 20% cut)
• The cuts will only affect ENGLAND; Scotland and Wales are dealt with by their Assemblies
• This will come into effect in 2007/8
• Varroa is to be deregulated in 2005 and there are plans to deregulate EFB in 2007/8
• It is probable that the cuts will mean a considerable reduction of about 50% in the number of seasonal bee inspectors
• NBU and DEFRA believe that EFB should be manageable using the shook swarm technique without antibiotics even though, as yet, there is insufficient published evidence available

HOWEVER!

• We rely on the RBI/SBI network to help beekeepers recognise disease and search out local spread once EFB is found
• They have a statutory right to inspect whereas a voluntary body like a local beekeeping group could not do this
• Most beekeepers find it difficult to recognise EFB until it is too late therefore the success of the shook swarm technique does not affect the spread of EFB
• We fear that, without the support of the RBI/SBIs, many beekeepers will give up beekeeping once they have lost their bees
• If the cuts take place NBU will not have enough resources to combat the inevitable arrival of the Small Hive Beetle (this has just been found in a number of member states in the EU including Portugal) and this latest pest will have a devastating effect on beekeeping in the UK
• Since Varroa arrived in this country there are very few feral colonies and it is only beekeepers that maintain the current stocks of honeybees
• ADAS (2001) stated that honeybees contribute £120 million to the agricultural economy of England (especially for top fruit)
• Rothamsted estimated this figure to be about £150 million
• Very few beekeepers benefit from their beekeeping in this country as it is mainly a local craft and not commercially viable
• The private benefit to beekeepers of keeping bees is estimated at only £11.3 million
• We consume about 25,000 tonnes of honey in this country but only produce about 6,000 tonnes of honey

The story is that the cut of £250,000 will have significant impact on beekeeping.  We believe that some bee diseases will spread and make beekeeping very difficult. Many beekeepers will give up.  This will impact on the environment and economy of the country and we believe the impact will be much greater than the savings the government hope to make.

Thank you