Kyneton woman honoured for unbee-lievable plan
A Kyneton woman’s plan to save the world’s bee populations has her in the running for one of the state’s biggest agricultural awards.
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A Kyneton woman behind a pioneering plan to save the world’s bee population has been named a finalist in one of the state’s top agriculture awards.
Claire Moore has developed a bee breeding program to help declining populations.
Her work has led to her being chosen as one of three finalists for the Victorian AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.
Ms Moore’s proposal focused on breeding genetically diverse queen bees that are healthy and adaptable to a range of different climates.
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“I think I’ve always been fascinated with bees. Their social structure, their reproduction, the way they make honey. There’s always something to learn,” she said.
Ms Moore’s proposal focused on breeding genetically diverse queen bees that were healthy and adaptable to a range of different climates.
She said her bee fascination began more than 10 years ago.
“I started beekeeping in 2007, when I was in the northern suburbs of Melbourne,” she said.
“Since then I’ve been completely fascinated by bees and reproduction. I started a hive share program in 2015.”
SUNBURY’S ODETTE SUITOR
Ms Moore has been listed as a finalists at the awards alongside Carly Jordan and Sunbury resident Odette Suitor, who has developed a grain storage concept.
Ms Suitor, a sixth-generation farmer, had been working on the proposal for up to eight years when she was nominated for the rura women’s award.
She said existing harvest receival sites weren’t always conducive to harvest hours.
“The existing system works fine, but I thought there had to be a better way,” Ms Suitor said.
Experience exporting grain in large shipping containers sparked an idea.
“Using second-hand shipping containers on an angle, when the grain goes directly into the storage system in the paddock,” she said.
“You can also separate the high quality from the lesser quality grain.”
Ms Suitor said the project would help put power back into the growers’ hands.
“It gives the ability to segregate, you’re not being held up waiting for trucks. It gives the growers more control to market their own grain,” she said.
Ms Suitor said the nomination in itself was exciting.
“I had no expectations to get to that stage. We chucked out hat in the ring and here we are,” she said.
The Victorian winner of the AgriFutures honour will receive a $10,000 bursary to implement her project, before representing her state at the national awards in Canberra on September 11.
State Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes said the award supported the role women played in rural and regional businesses, communities and industries.
“Victorian rural women are at the forefront of innovation and I congratulate our three finalists who I know will do our state proud,” she said.
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