Beekeeper varroa mite compensation package approved

The agreement was endorsed the Commonwealth and state governments, along with pollination dependent industries and will apply to commercial and recreational apiarists

The group also ticked off a national response plan to eradicate the parasite from NSW. As of Monday, 1567 hives had been euthanised, with more than 15 million bees destroyed.

Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the agreement would see registered commercial beekeepers reimbursed for all equipment, hives and bees that were destroyed in the eradication process, as well as the costs of honey.

"We are firmly committed to the national response plan," Mr Watt said.

"Varroa mite is the most significant threat to our honey bee and pollination industries and we unanimously agree that it is both technically feasible and economically beneficial to remove it from our shores."

NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said eradication was the primary goal, which was still possible thanks to the initial response and contact tracing work of the Department of Primary Industries.

"We still have an unbroken chain of infected premises and have extensive surveillance operations in place to find and destroy any further cases," Mr Saunders said.

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Australian Honey Bee Industry Council acting chief executive Danny Le Feuvre said it was important recreational beekeepers were also compensated, to discourage anyone from breaking the biosecurity procedures.

"Agreement to provide reimbursement costs to our members will ensure the success of the eradication program," he said.

A state-wide emergency order remains in place in NSW which stops hives being moved, but beekeepers outside of eradication zones can now work their hives, removing frames for honey extraction as well as place empty supers on full hives.

The NSW government will put on an additional 26 compliance and surveillance officers to manage the risk in upcoming spring pollination events across a range of agricultural commodities.