Conference feedback

[frazzledfozzle]

If anyone that contributes to the forum is going to the conference I would love any feedback regarding the state of the industry and how other beekeepers are doing right now.

it’s so hard to get any real sense of what’s happening nationwide all I know is locally things are really bad with a lot of honey in sheds .

 

[John B]

I am going to conference and will definitely be keeping my ears open.
I have been thinking a lot about state of the industry and it is my belief that things are probably as bad as they have ever been in the last 50 years. I have seen poor prices for honey before and at least once they were probably worse than they are now but add in overstocking , resistant varoa and rapidly falling manuka prices gives a pretty depressing picture.
The disconnect between the reality that beekeepers are facing and the hype coming from the marketing side of the industry is unbelievable.
I do expect things to get better and this could happen quite rapidly , all we need is something like fake honey to be forced off the world market.It's a matter of when and how many of us will be left.

 

[ApiNZ Science & Research]

For those interested, you are also welcome to register to attend the 2nd NZ Honeybee research symposium, immediately prior to the ApiNZ conference. At the registration link below, you'll also see the program for the day now:
https://vuw.eventsair.com/2nd-nz-honey-bee-research-symposium/nzhbrs

 

[frazzledfozzle]

I am going to conference and will definitely be keeping my ears open.
I have been thinking a lot about state of the industry and it is my belief that things are probably as bad as they have ever been in the last 50 years. I have seen poor prices for honey before and at least once they were probably worse than they are now but add in overstocking , resistant varoa and rapidly falling manuka prices gives a pretty depressing picture.
The disconnect between the reality that beekeepers are facing and the hype coming from the marketing side of the industry is unbelievable.
I do expect things to get better and this could happen quite rapidly , all we need is something like fake honey to be forced off the world market.It's a matter of when and how many of us will be left.

thanks John I would appreciate that very much.
For us personally it’s very bad also.
We are heading into a new season with the previous two seasons honey still in the shed.
we know of beekeepers being offered $4 kg for 5+ mono manuka which is an absolute joke.
MPIs manuka standard has caused the industry to tank ( only my opinion ) with more blending now than ever before in the history of NZ honey.

Add to that the very serious issue of false positive c4 sugar results and its just a nightmare out there.

We recently reported what looked to be an abandoned apiary in our area and on inspection it looks like the owner has walkEd away because 8 out of nine hives were dead and those 8 were completely webbed out with waxmoth.

I don’t know how it’s going to end or what the end will look like but it’s pretty terrible right now with many hanging on by the skin of their teeth.

and As you say there’s still all the RaRa in the media so where is that coming from ?

 

[Alastair]

$4 for 5+ mono! Wow

If that's the norm, pretty much going to signal the end for many operations.

Wonder how site rents are fareing now?

 

[stoney]

$4 def not the norm. With each test comes many different manuka “types” depends what each buyer requires for their brew.
have heard reliably (seen paperwork) mono at $35 and multi at $14 this season obviously depends on what your numbers pull up at and what that individual buyer is looking for.

 

[Alastair]

have heard reliably (seen paperwork) mono at $35 and multi at $14

Mono what? Frazz referenced mono 5+

 

[frazzledfozzle]

Mono what? Frazz referenced mono 5+

Mono manuka

 

[Alastair]

Frazz just to clarify, the question was directed to Stoney.

You said mono manuka 5+ $4. Then Stoney said mono manuka $35. But didn't say the number

So I was asking Stoney what number.

But, maybe it's a secret 🙄

 

[StephenB]

Back to the topic
I wonder what the accommodation situation is like. The newspapers are reporting all the accommodation is fill up with people on emergency housing.

I will not be stepping foot anywhere near the gathering mainly because I have no time for ApiNZ, but also the cost of being a member plus the cost of accommodation plus the cost of getting in the building

 

[Dennis Crowley]

Back to the topic
I wonder what the accommodation situation is like. The newspapers are reporting all the accommodation is fill up with people on emergency housing.

I will not be stepping foot anywhere near the gathering mainly because I have no time for ApiNZ, but also the cost of being a member plus the cost of accommodation plus the cost of getting in the building

So that's a no from you then Steve.
There is plenty of accommodation, Rotorua hasn't shut down yet, don't believe all you read in the paper, but yes you can ask about the emergency situation with accommodation suppliers and choose.

 

[NickWallingford]

@StephenB - You provided four reasons you will not be at the conference

1. "no time for ApiNZ"
2. "cost of being a member"
3. "cost of accommodation"
4. "cost of getting in the building"

It seems to me, once you arrived at "no time for ApiNZ", you have made up your mind. Your concerns about the availability and cost of accommodation is simply prolonging your post. It wouldn't matter if the membership were free, the accommodation had no cost, and the entrance was free - you do not want to be part of this conference. And that suits me just fine!

I'm going to the conference, the first I will have been to since 1998. And though I'd like to have a beer with anyone else who shows, my Dr. and I have differing view points on the value of beer in my diet...

If any of you are there, I do hope you'll introduce yourselves - sure would be nice to have some real names/faces for forum participants!

Nick

 

[Alastair]

Nick you forgot

5. Riff Raff in the accomodation

 

[James]

I've always enjoyed th conference.

1. It's an excuse for a Roadie
2. It's get me off the farm and away from the shed and all the stuff I have to look at every day that needs fixing
3. I get to meet new and sometimes interesting people
4. I get to view and fondle new and interesting gear
5. I don't have to think abaout what the heck we're gonna have for tea
6. I get to spend time with a second consultation from a different Doctor.

7. I come home with a little bit of new knowledge and an appreciation for where we live.

Not sure if I'm going this year .....

 

[southbee]

I've always enjoyed th conference.

1. It's an excuse for a Roadie
2. It's get me off the farm and away from the shed and all the stuff I have to look at every day that needs fixing
3. I get to meet new and sometimes interesting people
4. I get to view and fondle new and interesting gear
5. I don't have to think abaout what the heck we're gonna have for tea
6. I get to spend time with a second consultation from a different Doctor.

7. I come home with a little bit of new knowledge and an appreciation for where we live.

Not sure if I'm going this year .....

Actually agree with all of that, I haven't made my mind up yet if we should join ApiNZ, but would love to go to the conference to have a look. Unfortunately I can't this year for a couple of reasons but sure would love to hear the 'vibe' of it all. You could add an 8., it's a lonely job we do and meeting others like that can keep you sane.

 

[frazzledfozzle]

Back to the topic
I wonder what the accommodation situation is like. The newspapers are reporting all the accommodation is fill up with people on emergency housing.

I will not be stepping foot anywhere near the gathering mainly because I have no time for ApiNZ, but also the cost of being a member plus the cost of accommodation plus the cost of getting in the building

That actually is the topic of conversation
ApiNz has it’s own conference thread that’s why I started this one to ask for feedback regarding thoughts and experiences of beekeepers on the ground at conference.

So would be great if anything else to do with conference is put over on the ApiNz thread

 

[StephenB]

Nick you forgot

5. Riff Raff in the accomodation

Yes some beekeepers have destroyed the accommodation at past conferences

 

[Alastair]

Really, that's interesting 😮. I am sure they would have been those lowlife types from ApiNz 😄. I mean, they couldn't have been from NZBI 🤭

Anyhow Stephen you did not finish the story, if there is really anything to it, please elucidate

 

[frazzledfozzle]

I remember a conference in Ashburton, north island beekeepers couldn’t hold their drink it ended badly !
that was the good old days of the NBA I think

 

[StephenB]

Really, that's interesting 😮. I am sure they would have been those lowlife types from ApiNz 😄. I mean, they couldn't have been from NZBI 🤭

Anyhow Stephen you did not finish the story, if there is really anything to it, please elucidate

It was often the crew with the homemade spirits. did it more than once