The 16 commodity groups impacted by the devastating Varroa mite outbreak are currently privately negotiating their financial contribution towards the response and long-term management of the invasive pest.
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The news follows the National Management Group for Varroa, which abandoned its 14-month effort last September to eradicate the honey-bee parasite, announcing a national plan for 'Transition to Management' had been reached in-principle.
It has also been revealed that the cost of fighting the outbreak, including a 24-month transition plan, had been revised down from $132 million to $100m as a Category 2 Emergency Plant Pest.
Farm Online understands that the $100m will be cost-shared with government covering 80 per cent and industry 20 per cent, or about $20m.
Industry peak bodies - including melon, cherry, almond and apple growers - are currently communicating with members about how much each commodity is expected to pay.
While full details of the transition response plan are yet to be made public, it is also believed stakeholders have identified certain elements within the plan that could be carved-out to reduce costs for grower members.
About 30,000 hives were euthanised in the 15 months after the mite was first discovered in sentinel hives at the Port of Newcastle in June 2002. It is believed it hitchhiked on a container ship, the initial outbreaks were largely confined to the greater Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Central Coast regions of New South Wales.
The transition plan, first announced on February 9, will place 32 extension officers and specialist staff around Australia aiming to slow the spread of the parasite by working with and training industry, particularly beekeepers, in managing the risks. There will also be about 100 workshops conducted across the country.
The officers will be particularly crucial to help stop the spread into states that do not yet have Varroa.
Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite that targets European honey bees and is considered the greatest threat to Australia's honey and honey bee pollination-reliant plant industries.
Melons Australia executive officer Johnathon Davey said it was still "too early" to assess how the relevant agriculture sectors were recovering from the crisis.
"There were some of us who wanted to try to continue the fight towards eradication, but as data and evidence and other bits and pieces came to light it became pretty clear that, technically, transition to management was the right call," he said.
"While it is disappointing and still pretty raw for most of us, we gave it a red hot crack in terms of being the first people to be positively on track to eradication."
He said the focus now for the 16 pollination-focused commodities was supporting beekeepers to acquire the skills and training required to manage the spread of Varroa. More than 95 per cent of melon growers use apiarist services and managed hives.
"Most of our growers have agreements with local beekeepers and that then gives our growers confidence that there's going to be hives available, bees available to continue doing pollination services," he said.
"Whether that means we need more hives and more bees to balance out those being killed off through Varroa mite are things we have to work through."
The industry will also work with government to ensure adequate ongoing hive access and necessary hive movements.
The total contribution of honeybees to Australia's economy is estimated at more than $14 billion, with 35 agricultural industries relying entirely or partly on bee pollination. Every year, billions of bees are moved around the country to help pollinate crops.
Industry groups and government have also recently debriefed over the handling of the outbreak and while some opportunities for improvement have been identified, Mr Davey was buoyed by the collaboration and information-sharing shown by industry.
"I look at where we got to over the last 18 months and don't think we could have done it any better. It has been a tough process at times but we have always felt we have been in it together," he said.
NATIVE BEES
The relatively unexplored next problem is the inevitable loss of the entire wild honey bee population.
Hive networks scattered through national parks and bushland near farms have not only value-added for farmers using apiarists, but some industries solely rely on natural bee movement for pollination and do not use managed hives.
"How do we then look at alternative pollinators and other opportunities? There is no quick fix solution, it is a long-term work program around where we invest money and R&D and innovation," Mr Davey said.
BIOSECURITY PROTECTION LEVY
Mr Davey also fired a broadside at the federal government over its introduction of the controversial biosecurity protection levy.
"A lot of the industry are receiving and looking at fairly sizeable bills through this Varroa mite situation and we are now being told we have to kick in more for the biosecurity protection levy," he said.
"What for? If we're still going to have to fund responses, then why should we be funding more in the biosecurity space.
"What is the purpose of it? Have they factored in the contribution that industry is making through their existing levies. I highly doubt it."
