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NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, JUNE 2017
Next steps Apiculture New Zealand meets regularly with the wider Government-led Governance Group, which directs the immediate response (containment) to the outbreak and considers what will need to be done if myrtle rust cannot be contained. This includes developing a longer-term community and industry engagement programme, effective research programmes, and information gathering and analysis to understand the economic impact of myrtle rust and how it could potentially affect our economy, including our valuable honey industry. As these take shape, we will be in a position to provide more information to industry, including ongoing responses and managing the disease from a beekeeper perspective. Myrtle rust will also be a topic of discussion at the upcoming ApiNZ National Conference, with speakers from MPI and from Australia. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE SEEN SIGNS OF MYRTLE RUST: • do not touch it or the plant • take a photo of the rust and the plant • call MPI’s Exotic Pest and Disease Hotline on 0800 80 99 66. If you have any questions about myrtle rust, please email info@mpi.govt.nz. For full details about the fungus, go to https://www.mpi.govt. nz/protection-and-response/ responding/alerts/myrtle-rust
Myrtle rust on Agonis. Photo courtesy of the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Close-up of myrtle rust on pohutukawa. Yellow bumps and brown patches are typical of myrtle rust. Photo courtesy of the Ministry for Primary Industries.
SEE YOU AT CONFERENCE I’m looking forward to attending our annual national conference in Rotorua from Sunday 9 July to Tuesday 11 July. I’ve been meeting with the steering committee recently and this year’s conference is shaping up to be the must-attend event of the year. The conference will be a great opportunity for everyone to get together, hear from inspirational and informative speakers, and discuss some of the big-picture issues and opportunities facing our sector. It is also a showcase for our industry, we’re expecting over 1000 attendees and the largest trade exhibition to be assembled at an apiculture industry conference. Don’t miss out and book your place at conference today. To find out more, go to http://apicultureconference2017.co.nz
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