Varroa mite management plan approved

A national strategy to tackle Varroa mite has been approved, but the plan has left leaders “frustrated”.

A national plan to tackle the pest Varroa mite has been approved by the national management group almost five months after governments abandoned eradication efforts.

It comes as the Victorian government announced a new control area for the management of the pest within Victorian borders.

The NSW government announced last week the Varroa Mite National Management Group had approved the transition to management plan, which was agreed upon unanimously by state and federal governments, along with representatives from the beekeeping and pollination industry.

The program, which is valued at about $100 million thus far, with costs shared by governments and 16 industry bodies, will work to mitigate and minimise the impact of the pest on the honey and beekeeping industry.

But Crop Pollinators Association of Australia president Steve Fuller said information regarding the management plan was “vague”. He was yet to access a copy of the management plan, and said not all of the honey and beekeeping industry has had access to the information in the plan.

“I’m frustrated, I don’t know what to do. I’ve got members coming to me saying they don’t know what to do,” Mr Fuller said.

“That’s the whole problem, it’s vague, and my basic understanding is that no-one really knows what’s going on.”

A federal Department of Agriculture spokesperson said the plan documents were confidential but “extensive details on the response strategy will be communicated to affected industries.

“Noting the importance of communication with all stakeholders, a summary document is under development that includes information on the key activities of the transition to management plan. This will be published before the end of February,” they said.

Far North Coast Beekeepers Varroa Mite demonstration. Picture: Chris Shands

Meanwhile, the Victorian government announced effective February 16 that the entire state of Victoria was a ‘general control area’, which means a person must not move affected livestock or livestock products into the general control area from any Australian state to territory.

This does not apply, however, if a person has been issued a permit and the movement of said stock is within the conditions of the permit.

Terms of the gazetted control area also state an owner of affected livestock or livestock products in the general control area must carry out any inspection, treatment, or other action as directed by an inspector considered “necessary to control eradicate or prevent the spread of Varroosis”.