Cost of AFB per year to NZ

[JohnF]

This seems to have been posted rather quietly as an addendum to the latest AFB plan proposal - but after many years since the last one, the agency has done a cost benefit of AFB (as in, the current costs versus letting it rip with no regulation).
From the first part from the Executive Summary:

The economic cost of AFB comprises of hive losses and control costs. The 2022/23 annual economic cost of AFB is estimated at $23.2 million ($3.6m hive losses and $19.6m control costs). Of the $19.6m control costs, total levy cost is only $1.7 million, or 8% of total control costs, while 92% is beekeeper costs for detecting and controlling AFB. With no NPMP, the annual economic cost of AFB is estimated to rise to $29.5 million by 2032/33 ($9.4m hive losses and $20.1m in control costs). With no NPMP, 99,909 hives are forecasted to become infected with AFB over a ten-year period, starting at 5,810 hives in 2023/24 and rising to 13,462 hives in 2032/33. Consequently, hive losses to the beekeeping industry are estimated at $70 million over a ten-year period. This is $4.1 million in annual hive losses in 2023/24 and rising to $9.4 million in 2032/33.

Full cost benefit analysis is here

 

[frazzledfozzle]

Would there be hive losses if they were treated with antibiotics as they do in the US ?

 

[Alastair]

One of the reasons antibiotics are pretty much not used any more in The US is because they don't work any more.

Having said that, our NZ AFB has not been exposed to antibiotics (far as we know) so should not yet be immune. So might work for a while. Thing with treating AFB with antibiotics at least for commercials, is it is a treadmill that once you are on it you can't get off.

 

[JohnF]

Then more honey tests, as you'd have to add antibiotic tests to all honey? Any NZ clean message goes out the window as well?
Plus the antibiotics don't kill the AFB bacteria - they just suppress it (while probably killing any and all *good* bacteria!).

 

[yesbut]

NZ has 10,500 registered beeks, $24million is $2,285 each. Aren't stats fun.

 

[Hector Wong]

NZ has 10,500 registered beeks, $24million is $2,285 each. Aren't stats fun.

Now I know why my wife keeps saying to me it would be cheaper to buy honey from the supermarket.

 

[Dennis Crowley]

NZ has 10,500 registered beeks, $24million is $2,285 each. Aren't stats fun.

And 750,000 bee hives, $24mil is $32.00 each, yep stats are fun.

 

[JohnF]

Yes, some statistical bias I fear.
When the brown stuff hits the oscillating machine, you will of course realise it's not evenly distributed . . .

 

[Alastair]

What I can say is that AFB has cost me several hundred thousand $$ over the years.

A lot of that in lost income having to stop sales of live bees due to AFB showing up.

 

[Maggie]

NZ has 10,500 registered beeks, $24million is $2,285 each. Aren't stats fun.

And 750,000 bee hives, $24mil is $32.00 each, yep stats are fun.

Yes, some statistical bias I fear.
When the brown stuff hits the oscillating machine, you will of course realise it's not evenly distributed . . .

Yep you can spin any story you want with stats. This was well and truly demonstrated at the Conference in ChCh with an unemotional speaker, in monotone, who bombarded the audience with stats. I am fairly certain most of the audience felt like myself.......

 

[Mummzie]

 

[JohnF]

Yes, some statistical bias I fear.
When the brown stuff hits the oscillating machine, you will of course realise it's not evenly distributed . . .

What I can say is that AFB has cost me several hundred thousand $$ over the years.

 

[JohnF]

Yep you can spin any story you want with stats. This was well and truly demonstrated at the Conference in ChCh with an unemotional speaker, in monotone, who bombarded the audience with stats. I am fairly certain most of the audience felt like myself.......

What were you expecting Maggie? A circus performer juggling plates while explaining the levels present?

 

[Dennis Crowley]

Now I know why my wife keeps saying to me it would be cheaper to buy honey from the supermarket.

20,000 ton or 20,000,000kgs of honey produced, $24,000,000 that's $1.20/kg, stats are fun (its wet outside)

 

[NatureAlley]

NZ has 10,500 registered beeks, $24million is $2,285 each. Aren't stats fun.

This goes to show that I was an average beekeeper in 2022...