Close to have 1,700 hives have been destroyed in NSW as the state battles to contain the outbreak of the devastating parasite.
An $18 million compensation package for commercial beekeepers affected by the varroa mite outbreak has been announced by the New South Wales and federal governments.Dozens of premises have been infested with the mite, but the NSW Agriculture Minister says the situation is in handVarroa destructorThe Department of Primary Industries confirmed new detections at Campvale, Homesville and Glen Oak, all fell within existing emergency zones.
"Varroa mite is the most significant threat to our honey bee and pollination industries," federal Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Murray Watt said. Danny Le Feuvre from the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council said the compensation package was vital. "The approval of the plan and funding demonstrates the importance of the partnership between pollination dependent industries, the honey bee industry and the government."