The A$500,000 fund supports beekeeping and pollen-reliant industries safeguard against varroa mite
The Queensland government has announced the first recipients of the A$500,000 Community Bee Innovation Fund (CBIF) which aims to deliver education, training and management activities to support beekeeping and pollen-reliant industries safeguard against varroa mite.
The CBIF opened in February offering grants between A$5,000 and A$50,000 over the next three years to help manage the impacts of varroa mite.
The successful round one recipients are:
- Gold Coast Amateur Beekeepers Society – Biotechnical varroa management: brood interruption and queen rearing training
- Queensland Beekeepers Association – Educating, supporting and surviving varroa together
- Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers – BeeReady
- Queensland Southern Beekeepers Association – Education on the seriousness of varroa mite and management of the pest in beehives.
Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett said these grants are a critical investment aimed at supporting industry and strengthening Queensland’s biosecurity integrity.
“Biosecurity underpins everything that we do, which is why we are investing in Queensland research and innovation to secure the state’s beekeeping and pollination industries now and well into the future,” Perrett said.
“This investment compliments our commitment to hire 100 biosecurity officers across the state this term.”
Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers chief executive officer Rachel Chambers said the organisation is utilising its grant strategically.
“We’re using this funding to support the shift from long-standing handshake arrangements to a more coordinated, planned approach to pollination – a move that ensures successful crop outcomes for our growers, while also supporting healthy, productive bees and the continued supply of premium Australian honey,” Chambers said.
