The National Beekeepers' Association of New Zealand

Back to National Beekeepers' Assn of NZ
Back to Latest News page

REMITS FOR CONSIDERATION BY
THE NATIONAL BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
CONFERENCE OF BRANCH DELEGATES
GISBORNE, 19 AND 20 JULY 2000

Each branch of the NBA will hold a Remits Voting Meeting after these papers have been distributed. Members will cast their votes at that meeting in accordance with rule 26f.

On every poll taken on a remit to the Conference of Branch Delegates a member may:

Vote "for" or "against" the remit
Abstain from voting
Abstain from voting and make that member's vote available to the Branch Delegate to cast as that member thinks fit.
Withhold that member's votes for exercise at the Conference in accordance with Rule 19 (f) (iii) provided that notwithstanding paragraph (e) of this Rule this may be done only if the member is personally present at the meeting at which the poll is taken.

The Branch Secretary shall record the number of votes in each category and the Secretary's certificate shall be conclusive.

The branch delegate will carry the votes to Conference and use them as described in rule 19 e), f), g) and h):

e) Voting by Branch Delegates shall initially be by the Sticks or a counted vote may be requested by any Delegate present or by the Chairperson.

f) In the event of a Poll, such Delegate shall be entitled to cast:

the number of votes cast on the question when it was voted on by that Delegate's branch; plus
those votes which members make available to the delegate in accordance with Rule 26 (f) (iii); plus
those votes withheld by members in accordance with Rule 26 (f) (iv), provided that no such votes may be cast in respect of a member who is not personally present at the Conference.

g) In exercising voting rights in a poll, a Delegate:

shall record for and against the remit the number of affirmative and negative votes cast when the delegate's Branch voted upon it; and
may exercise as the delegate thinks fit any additional votes made available to the delegate in accordance with Rule 26 (f) (iii); and
shall exercise votes withheld by members in accordance with Rule 26 (f) (iv) in accordance with directions given to the delegate at the time of the poll by members concerned personally.

h) Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Delegate may in the delegate's discretion and after giving consideration to all matters put forward at the Conference, cast all the votes to which the delegate is entitled (other than those exercisable under paragraph (g) (iii) of this Rule) in such manner as the delegate thinks fit.

Remit 1 - Auckland Branch

That this conference recommends to the Executive that they seek an improvement in establishing the location of the registered sites of beekeepers. Our branch feels that it should be obligatory to identify the site by using:-

The Nation wide Rapid Response Number of the property.
An accurate description of where the site is to be found on the property.
An accurate Grid Reference.
The existing occupier's name as well as the owner's name of the property to be kept updated.
That the law on displaying the beekeepers Registered Number be enforced.

NOTES - The work involved in finding sites in the recent Varroa outbreak, has caused concern to our Branch. Many hours have been wasted in searching for sites where:-

Rapid Response Numbers though available and displayed have not been used.
Changed landscapes such as trees, hedges and buildings being removed or resited. Descriptions where only local knowledge can identify such as - against the rear boundary - 1k. on left past "So and So" Road. (Travelling North or South?)
The accuracy of grid refs should improve with the excellent location advice now used on the rear of the Annual Decease Return.
Existing occupiers are often so out of date the recorded owner is not even known.
It has been found that very few Beekeepers display their registered number.

Some idea of the difficulties can be judged when it was found that beekeepers working their own district could check about a dozen sites, whereas those working outside their areas could manage only half that number. The toll on beekeepers and staff working extremely long hours on this Varroa outbreak have been so great that the inaccuracy in site recordings must be tidied up.

Branch voting: For: Rule 26 f (i) Against Abstentions Rule 26 f (ii)

With Delegate. Rule 26 f (iii) Taking my Votes to Conference. Rule 26 f (iv)

Conference voting: For: Against Carried Lost

Poll vote result: For: Against Carried Lost

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 2 - Auckland Branch

That this Conference recommends to the Executive that there be penalties imposed on beekeepers with unregistered sites. If penalties do already exist, that they be actioned as an example to offenders.

NOTES - As a result of the introduction of Varroa, AgriQual recorded that by the 18th of May 2000 just over 5 weeks later, 228 beekeepers had reported 927 sites containing 12515 hives which had been unregistered.
How this equates to disrupted travel and work programs is impossible to estimate, but a Mafquals calculator put into action would soon calculate the cost to NBA in lost levies.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 3 - Auckland Branch

That this Conference recommends to the Executive, that the NBA investigate means of ensuring all owners of bee hives comply with registration requirements.

NOTES - The exercise undertaken to establish the extent of the Varroa Mite outbreak, has identified a current lack of incentive to comply.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 4 - Auckland Branch

That this Conference recommends to the Executive that a Pest Management Strategy is not required for the future management of the Varroa Mite.

NOTES; Our Branch feels that it does not want a repetition of the excessive expenses involved with the present PMS for American Foul Brood.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 5 - Canterbury Branch

That this Conference recommend to the Executive that the present Apiary Rating System be changed to a Base Fee and Hive Stock Levy System where everyone who keeps bees pays the base fee plus so much per hive stock unit.

NOTES: Members please leave voting with delegates, to allow a full and frank discussion.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 6 - Canterbury Branch

That this conference recommend to the Executive that the Apiary Register be maintained only for the use of disease and pest control.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 7 - Canterbury Branch

That this conference recommend to the Executive that they actively pursue a bee warning on all surfactants (wetting agents).

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 8 - Canterbury Branch

That this conference recommend to the Executive that they lobby for a symbol to be placed on all chemicals toxic to bees.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 9 - Waikato Branch

That this conference recommends to Executive that they seek to get the Exotic surveillance around the high risk areas of Airports, ports and landfills to be reactivated and improved, at the Government's expense.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 10 - Waikato Branch

That this conference recommends to Executive that an investigation on an area freedom of honey bees around ports and airports to be carried out.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 11 - Waikato Branch

That this conference recommends to the Executive that it declares the industries opposition to the commercial growing of Genetically engineered crops and the use of Genetically engineered organisms in Beekeeping.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 12 - Waikato Branch

That this conference recommends to Executive that in light of the hardship that Varroa has brought to the Beekeeping industry in dealing with it, that they investigate government assistance packages for financially disadvantaged beekeepers.

NOTE: This could be in the form of low interest loans for sugar etc.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 13 - Otago Branch

That this conference recommends to executive that it investigate the NBA becoming an affiliate member of Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc)

NOTE: That the NBA as an "Association" become an affiliate, not NBA members be affiliated as individuals.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 14 - Southern North Island Branch

That this conference recommends to the Executive that a review of the relevant Parliamentary Acts controlling Beekeeping be undertaken and amended where it is shown to be causing confusion or not meeting the Industry's expectations.

Statement of case:
Last year's remit from the SNI branch although passed has not been acted upon. In view of the changing circumstances the Beekeeping Industry now finds itself in, a comprehensive review should be undertaken immediately.

Some points requiring attention:
Definition of an Apiary amended to read "hives within a RADIUS of 100 meters".

Commodities Levies (Bee Products) Order - Amend:
Levy for the coming year is calculated based on the number of apiary sites on the apiary register as at that date - 1 June. Amend including all apiaries registered during the last 12 months.

That the NBA should have the provisions to back levy beekeepers deliberately not registering apiary sites and impose penalty payments on top of this.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 15 - Southland Branch

That this conference recommends to the Executive it lobby the Government to re-establish an apicultural advisory service to educate beekeepers and work with them to co-ordinate local disease and parasite detection and treatment programmes.

NOTES:

Maintenance of a healthy and viable population of honeybees is of vital importance to the wider economy.
Detection of Varroa was at least two years too late. The next exotic outbreak must be detected promptly.
Both the Nelson EFB scare and the Varroa outbreak have reportedly revealed levels of undetected / unreported / untreated clinical AFB which are far too high.
The propensity of collapsing mite infested populations of honeybees to decamp and overwhelm another hive makes it essential that if treatment is needed and in a district all hives in the vicinity are at least monitored and preferably treated simultaneously. Advice and co-ordination is necessary.
Should chemical treatment be required to control varroa it is important that it be delivered in such a manner that resistance not be developed. This is not just a matter for individual beekeepers but a collective concern and warrants a high level of education and monitoring.

Comments_______________________________________________

Remit 16 - Southland Branch

That this conference recommends to the Executive that they investigate changing the payment of hive levies by commercial beekeepers to a system of four equal quarterly payments.

NOTES:

District Council rate demands provide the ratepayer with the option of paying in instalments or the balance owing on the due date. We suggest a similar system.
A survey could be included with the next commodity levy invoice to determine the demand for change.

Comments_______________________________________________