South Australian Varroa Program: Detection Response and Transition to Management Plan

This consultation has now closed.

Have your say on the draft South Australian Detection Response and Transition to Management Plan for Varroa mite.

What's being decided?

The South Australian Varroa Industry Advisory Committee (SAVIAC) have developed the Draft South Australian Detection Response and Transition to Management (T2M) plan for Varroa mite.

The Plan aims to assist the apiary industry, comprising commercial and recreational beekeepers and pollination industries to prepare for the eventual establishment of Varroa in South Australia. It outlines the proposed activities that would be undertaken to prepare beekeepers to manage and respond to Varroa detections within SA or within another State/Territory that has previously been considered free from Varroa.

The Plan was developed prior to the recent detection in Victoria and outlines how the SAVIAC proposes that SA would respond to the detection.

It is acknowledged that the detection in Victoria is not documented in the Plan as drafted but the principles for response would remain the same.

Background

Varroa mite (V. destructor) is the most serious pest affecting honey bees worldwide. It remains a key threat to Australia’s honey and honey bee pollination plant industries.

The South Australian apiary industry pollinates agricultural and horticultural crops valued at an estimated $1.7 billion and produces more than $12million worth of honeybee products annually.

Varroa can be spread via both human and European Honey Bee (EHB) mediated movement, including via:

  • human movement of honeybee commodities including bees, bee colonies, apiary products, hive components, apiary appliances and beekeeping plant exposed to and/ or been in contact with EHB and/or Varroa,
  • EHB movement including via foraging, drifting, robbing, mating, swarming and/ or absconding.

Beekeepers have a vital role to play in managing their own biosecurity through surveillance of their hives and reporting any suspicion of Varroa mites immediately to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).

The Committee was established to provide advice to the PIRSA Chief Executive in developing the plan.

Outbreak in Australia

Varroa mite was detected in June 2022 and an emergency response was initiated, supported by the Australian Government, state and territory governments, and pollination-dependent agricultural industries.

Initial eradication efforts were led by the NSW Department of Primary Industries, being the state most affected by the pest. It was the largest agricultural biosecurity response in Australia to date, but it was determined that eradication was not feasible and as such, Australia moved to transition to management.

South Australia remains free of varroa mite.

Get involved

Feedback is sought on the Draft Plan by Friday 20 September 2024. The Commitee will consider the feedback in developing the final advice for the Department after this.

Learn more by reading:

Have your say by:

  • emailing a submission to PIRSA.SAVIAC@sa.gov.au
  • posting your written submission to:
    SAVIAC c/o PIRSA Glenside, GPO Box 1815, Adelaide SA 5001

What are the next steps?

SAVIAC will consider all feedback to finalise the draft South Australian detection response and transition to management plan and provide its final advice to the PIRSA Chief Executive.

The final Plan will be published as soon as possible following the closure of the consultation process and will be made available here and at PIRSA.

Have your say on the draft South Australian Detection Response and Transition to Management Plan for Varroa mite.

What's being decided?

The South Australian Varroa Industry Advisory Committee (SAVIAC) have developed the Draft South Australian Detection Response and Transition to Management (T2M) plan for Varroa mite.

The Plan aims to assist the apiary industry, comprising commercial and recreational beekeepers and pollination industries to prepare for the eventual establishment of Varroa in South Australia. It outlines the proposed activities that would be undertaken to prepare beekeepers to manage and respond to Varroa detections within SA or within another State/Territory that has previously been considered free from Varroa.

The Plan was developed prior to the recent detection in Victoria and outlines how the SAVIAC proposes that SA would respond to the detection.

It is acknowledged that the detection in Victoria is not documented in the Plan as drafted but the principles for response would remain the same.

Background

Varroa mite (V. destructor) is the most serious pest affecting honey bees worldwide. It remains a key threat to Australia’s honey and honey bee pollination plant industries.

The South Australian apiary industry pollinates agricultural and horticultural crops valued at an estimated $1.7 billion and produces more than $12million worth of honeybee products annually.

Varroa can be spread via both human and European Honey Bee (EHB) mediated movement, including via:

  • human movement of honeybee commodities including bees, bee colonies, apiary products, hive components, apiary appliances and beekeeping plant exposed to and/ or been in contact with EHB and/or Varroa,
  • EHB movement including via foraging, drifting, robbing, mating, swarming and/ or absconding.

Beekeepers have a vital role to play in managing their own biosecurity through surveillance of their hives and reporting any suspicion of Varroa mites immediately to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).

The Committee was established to provide advice to the PIRSA Chief Executive in developing the plan.

Outbreak in Australia

Varroa mite was detected in June 2022 and an emergency response was initiated, supported by the Australian Government, state and territory governments, and pollination-dependent agricultural industries.

Initial eradication efforts were led by the NSW Department of Primary Industries, being the state most affected by the pest. It was the largest agricultural biosecurity response in Australia to date, but it was determined that eradication was not feasible and as such, Australia moved to transition to management.

South Australia remains free of varroa mite.

Get involved

Feedback is sought on the Draft Plan by Friday 20 September 2024. The Commitee will consider the feedback in developing the final advice for the Department after this.

Learn more by reading:

Have your say by:

  • emailing a submission to PIRSA.SAVIAC@sa.gov.au
  • posting your written submission to:
    SAVIAC c/o PIRSA Glenside, GPO Box 1815, Adelaide SA 5001

What are the next steps?

SAVIAC will consider all feedback to finalise the draft South Australian detection response and transition to management plan and provide its final advice to the PIRSA Chief Executive.

The final Plan will be published as soon as possible following the closure of the consultation process and will be made available here and at PIRSA.