The National Beekeepers' Association of New Zealand

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National Beekeepers Association Executive Committee
Meeting No 3, 2000/2001

Minutes of the NBA National Executive Committee meeting 3, held Saturday November 25, 2000 at the Centra Auckland Airport commencing at 8.40am

Meeting No 3, 2000/2001

Present: - Richard Hatfield, President, Don Bell, Vice President, Terry Gavin, Lin McKenzie, Jane Lorimer and Philip Cropp, Executive members and Tim Leslie, Executive Secretary.

The President called the meeting to order and established that a quorum was present.
No apologies.
Minutes of Executive Meeting held 28 October 2000 were accepted as an accurate record.

D Bell/L McKenzie Carried
No matters arising.
Actions:

2.7.1
"That the NBA makes a statement disassociating the Association from Mr Law's position."
D Bell/P Cropp Carried

Reported that this issue had been dealt with.
2.7.2
"Executive Secretary to write to MAF and request an understanding of why prosecutions can't proceed or get on with progressing prosecutions."
T Gavin/D Bell Carried

Executive Secretary reported that this issue is proceeding with ongoing contact with MAF
2.8.1
Make application to Trust for seeding money of $10,000 for the Sustainable Farming Fund and $100,000 to underwrite the project.
Exec. Sec still to meet with David Kay.
2.8.2
Lin McKenzie to draw up Terms of Reference for SFF steering committee and approach regional representatives to be delegates for regional representation.
L McK reported that this is on hold.
2.8.3
Lin McKenzie, Richard Hatfield and Tim Leslie to work on a contract for Mr G Mavromatis.
"That Lin McKenzie be sponsor of the SFF Project and that Mr G Mavromatis be appointed Project Manager, subject to funding and that the committees be formed."
D Bell/T Gavin Carried

L McK reported that this is on hold.
2.7.3
Terry Gavin to discuss with PMS Operations Committee and Nelson Branch the issue of AD training for those who wish to participate but haven't yet had the opportunity.
TG has discussed with M Bush and another training is scheduled for early 2001.
2.7.4
Richard Hatfield to raise concerns the NBA has with the "Draft Standards." This has been signed off.
2.7.5
Tim Leslie to request under the official information act, the original terms of reference, what the exercise cost, and the results of the bee response exercise held Pukekohe 1999. In addition the results/actions from the debrief and also results of testing export package bees from Auckland and Waikato in 1998.
Exec. Sec. Reported that this awaits a result from the letter in the same vain sent by Mr Blair from Auckland
2.7.6
Tim Leslie and Terry Gavin to write to Roger Polland to discuss the NBA's minimum requirements for surveillance.
TG reported that he is due to meet Mr Poland before Christmas.
2.7.7
NBA to write to MAF (cc to Barry O'Neil) stating our extreme discomfort with the potential for another level of compliance for Authorised Persons in that NBA AP's cannot participate for export needs.
Still to be actioned.
2.7.8
NBA to write to MAF and tell them that the NBA will not be paying for EU testing and any past memos of understanding are now withdrawn. The letter to be published in first available Beekeeper Magazine.
Letter to be sent early next week.
2.7.9
Contact MAF and ask about the posters for ports and request they be up in seven days.
Exec. Sec reported that this has been achieved and MAF have given an undertaking. Apparently there has been some trouble with Tranz Rail regarding using buyable space.
2.7.10
Re contract D Belton to clarify the unwanted status of varroa.
"The NBA representatives on the Varroa Management Group be Richard Hatfield, Don Bell and Tim Leslie."
L McKenzie/J Lorimer Carried

Exec. Sec. Reported that this had been completed and Mr Belton had replied in the affirmative.
2.8.1
Executive Secretary to contact Murray Reid and thank him for his full report and request that it goes in Beekeeper.
Signed off.
Other Matters
Based on the rates set by IRD it was proposed: "That Mileage rates be paid at either: - $0.28c/km flat or $0.62 km for first 300km and then $0.19/km thereafter.
This to be reviewed once per year, when fuel fluctuates up by more than 15% or when IRD changes rules."
J Lorimer/P Cropp Carried

Correspondence

Inwards - 29/10/00 - 24/11/00

Date: From: Re:

31/10/00 MAF Biosecurity Information about compensation claims

01/11/00 Fed Farmers Notice of National Council Meeting 14 & 15 Nov

03/11/00 MAF Policy Rural Support Co-ordinator Contract

15/11/00 MAF Biosecurity Draft ToR for Varroa Management Group

16/11/00 MAF Policy SFFund - notice of decline of application

15/11/00 D Belton Return of Apistan strips

15/11/00 D Belton Development of Varroa Phase III

17/11/00 MAF Biosecurity Enforcement letter re non complying beekeepers

Morrison Kent Various re privacy complaint

Compliance and Bad Debts Various letters seeking explanation

M Smith Various letters re debt collection

Outwards

23/11/00 CHB Print Letter to editor/article in November Beekeeper

23/11/00 Royal Commission on GM Explanation of relationship between NBA & Poverty Bay

Morrison Kent Various letters re privacy complaint

Compliance and bad debts Various letters of explanation

M Smith Various letters re debt collection

"That inwards be accepted and the outwards approved."

D Bell/P Cropp Carried

Finance
"That Executive expenses totalling $1909.69 be paid."
L McKenzie/T Gavin Carried
Reports
AFB PMS - Terry Gavin.
"For the next year, the NBA write to MAF and request that the NBA have Level One inspectors."
J Lorimer/L McKenzie Carried
Action:
T Leslie and T Gavin to draft a letter
Communications - Lin McKenzie
"That Angela Compton be accepted as the editor of the Beekeeper from 1 January 2001 and that L McKenzie formulate a contract with her and Crown Kerr Print."
L McKenzie/P Cropp Carried

"That Crown Kerr will be the publishers and Angela will be responsible to them, further, Lin McKenzie to set up an editorial policy board for the Beekeeper for approval at the next meeting."
L McKenzie/P Cropp Carried

Website: - Lin will discuss ideas and progress with Richard Hatfield.
Copywrite:-
"Any permission given to 3rd parties re publication of NBA property be revoked."
L McKenzie/P Cropp Carried
Action:
T Leslie to pursue this issue with legal advise from M Smith.
Compliance and Governance - Richard Hatfield
Discussion held on deferral policy and a proposal put up by Richard Hatfield was accepted as policy.
"The policy for levy deferral in the 2001 year be:
1. That no more than 20% of the total levy that is due to the NBA can be deferred. This will be on a first come first serve basis.
2. Beekeepers that have no levy debt other than though a deferral at the 1 February may be granted a deferral.
3. Any beekeeper that has failed to pay their levy on time in the last levy collection period and did not enter into a deferral shall not be granted a deferral this levy payment.
4. Deferrals cannot be granted for total levies due that are less than $500.
5. Any beekeeper that fails to make a deferral payment shall become immediately liable for the full amount plus any penalties on the outstanding amount.
6. The maximum deferral payment schedules are:
  
  Levies Due for the year Number of Payments When
  $501-1,500 2 March, June
  
  $1,501-3,500 3 March, June, September
  
  Over $3,501 4 March, June, September, December
7. No deferral will be granted to any beekeeper that has previously been summonsed to court for failure to pay levy within the last 5 years.
8. No deferral will be granted to any beekeeper that has not complied within the last three years or is being investigated for non-compliance with any part of the legislation affecting beekeeping. This includes (but not exclusive) failure to provide ADR/COI, failure to register apiaries, failure to report disease.
9. The no member shall involve or influence in the determination of whom is granted deferrals except through this policy or as a written request to the National President.
10. All requests for deferrals must be received one calendar month before the date that the levy is due and must be in writing to the Executive Secretary on the form provided.
11. If a deferral is not granted then the levy payer might appeal in writing to the President stating the part of this Policy that the Executive Secretary has not been complied with. The President's decision shall be binding. If the President has a conflict of interest then the Vice-President shall make the determination.
Review of Policy
This policy will be reviewed annually by the executive at the November executive meeting.
J Lorimer/D Bell Carried

Meeting broke for lunch at 12.00pm and reconvened at 1.00pm when it met with representatives of the Auckland Branch of the NBA; Bob Blair, Graham Cammell and Trevor Cullen, there was an apology from Brian Alexander, to discuss any issues of concern to them.
The Varroa Management Group and advice to was discussed. It was agreed that the ARAC group should be properly made up and briefed.
The slow return of Apistan strips was raised. This seems to have improved now but will be watched.
Mr Cullen praised the current executive on its cohesiveness and direction and posed the question of sending a NBA delegation to the American Bee Federation Conference in 2001. This is an important Conference as it is a meeting of practical beekeepers and would be an opportunity to look at varroa and marketing. The meeting agreed but could not see a way for the NBA to fund a delegate at this stage.
Messrs Cullen, Blair and Cammell left the meeting at 2.00pm.

Environment - Jane Lorimer
Quiet at the moment apart from monitoring Animal Products Act and GM Royal Commission.
Action
Jane Lorimer to gather all APA work into the Environment Committee.
Exotics - Terry Gavin
Working on details with Roger Polland - MAF.
Action
T Gavin to urgently follow through with R Polland on issues related to Exotic surveillance and report at next meeting.
Exports - Phil Cropp
Executive Secretary to work with Phil and MAF Food.
The meeting agreed that the NBA was not prepared to underwrite the EU testing programme anymore.
Action
Exec. Sec to write to MAF and convey this policy.
Post the meeting this issue has involved the President meeting with MAF.
Finance - Jane Lorimer
Only extraordinary to report is the extra work Floyd's have done on the GM Royal Commission.

Richard Hatfield proposed a new budgetary structure and layout more in line with NZ accounting practices (attached)
"That the proposed format for the budget be adopted"

Richard Hatfield / Philip Cropp Carried
Action:
Jane Lorimer to put together the 2001 budget based on the format for discussion at the next meeting. (RH willing to assist if necessary)
Marketing - Philip Cropp
"That the Terms of Reference be approved."

D Bell/J Lorimer Carried

Discussion held on the direction for marketing in 2001 and it was agreed that the NBA wishes to see a quality certification scheme implemented that will act as a market position statement.
Action
The Marketing Committee work on a Honey Qual Mark as a start for 2001. Post the meeting, RH had written to the marketing committee.
Work on honey qual mark have as its objective to increase the value of a certified product, i.e. differentiate on quality and certainty of product and production.
There will be: -
Standards for product quality.
Standards for product content - e.g. primarily made up of ЕЕЕЕ.
Standards for product lab certification.
Standards for product production.
Standards for product auditing."
R Hatfield/P Cropp Carried

"The marketing budget for 2001 be $70,000."
R Hatfield/P Cropp Carried

It was also agreed that as a general principal from now on, everything is either patented or trade marked and that the Executive Secretary will discuss with Mike Smith an Intellectual Property Contract that members of the Marketing Committee will sign.
It was also agreed that the 2001 contract for the Marketing Consultants would contain in addition to the usual -
restraint of trade for 1 year.
non competitive clause
that intellectual property belongs to the NBA
Action
Philip Cropp to put in place by next meeting.

Support - L McKenzie
Lin McKenzie to continue to refine the SFF application.
Action
Lin McKenzie to have a refined application ready for the February application round.
Varroa - Don Bell
Don reported that he felt two important issues were the need to defend the movement control boundary and the NBA needs a mission for varroa now that we are well into phase II. He stated that if the movement control boundary is not defended proactively, it might as well not be there.
Mission for living with Varroa.
"To ensure that the economic, intrinsic and other values of beekeeping are sustained throughout New Zealand:-
the financial viability of commercial beekeeping
minimise the loss of domestic beekeeper activities
minimise environmental impacts
product quality and viability is maintained
varroa maintains an unwanted organism status with the long-term hope of eventual elimination."
D Bell/P Cropp Carried
It was noted that the Green Party policy is to eradicate.
Action
Don Bell to draft a letter to Ministers Sutton and Hobbs outlining the NBA's stance (mission) emphasising the NBA's desire for active spread reduction and the eventual elimination of Varroa.
"The NBA's representatives on the Varroa Management Group be: - Richard Hatfield and Graham Cammell plus the Executive Secretary. This will give coverage from the three zones plus executive and administration input."
D Bell/T Gavin Carried

Executive Secretary
Main work has been follow up work on the Bad Debt and ADR/COI default situation.
980 letters are being sent out on 30 November to alleged ADR and COI defaulters based on information sent from AgriQuality.
Mike Smith has sent 94 letters to debtors from the 2000 year. A further 46 letters have been sent to debtors who have outstanding from the 1999 & 2000 years.
At this stage it looks like the NBA will have to proceed to District Court recovery from at least 4.
21 beekeepers have been referred to the MAF enforcement unit to investigate alleged apiary registration irregularities.

General Business

9.1	Review of Executive Secretarial/Administration contact with Federated Farmers. It was agreed that Philip Cropp and Terry Gavin undertake this prior to Christmas 2000.
9.2	EU testing. Peter Cropp and Executive Secretary to continue work with MAF and AgriQual where necessary.
9.3	Rule 17(a) - Governance Committee will consider this as part of it's review.
9.4	Agriqual Action The Executive Secretary to write to and instruct that in the year 2001 all correspondence re the PMS must go out on NBA letterhead which the NBA will supply.
9.5.	Budget will be completed at the January 2001 meeting
9.6.	Transfer of Queens between islands. This to be dealt with through the magazine.
9.7.	2001 Conference. Lin McKenzie reported on progress in Queenstown. Action - Tim Leslie to book Executive in the Conference Hotel from 22 -27 July inclusive.
Discussion on AGM format. It was agreed that the actual AGM be short and deal with the legal requirements of the Association to allow more time for invited guests and remits.
9.8	Crisis Management Plan Agreed that a CMP be developed during 2001.
9.9	AFB PMS and future management of NBA It was agreed that during 2001 the NBA actively work towards having a structure that allows the employment of our own Level One inspectors and that the structure also allows the NBA to administer/oversee a Qual Mark enterprise for honey and bee products.

The President thanked all for their input and closed the meeting at 7.30pm

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