Bee keepers urged to register under healthy bee plan

The ’Healthy Bees’ plan has been launched which will see £4.3 million of funding into bee health issues. The plan is recognition of a new collaborative way of working that aims to get all parties involved in honey bee health working together, according to the NFU.

The money will see £2.3 million over the next two years to support the work of the National Bee Unit (NBU) and a further £2 million over five years would go towards bee health research.

NFU horticulture adviser Dr Chris Hartfield said: "This framework provides a focused plan for effective pest and disease control, underpinned by sound research work, and effective communication of best practice to all beekeepers.

"It echoes NFU views that all bee farmers and beekeepers should be encouraged to join BeeBase, the NBU’s beekeepers database, to enable good access to information. This work must go hand in hand with well-funded research that provides solutions to the health problems facing our honey bees.

"Defra needs to work with stakeholders to ensure all beekeepers understand the real benefits of being part of a national database. And in turn all beekeepers need to understand that, irrespective of how many bees they keep, their bees are part of a dynamic and interacting national population - and as a result the health of every hive is of national importance."


The NFU will join other industry stakeholders to work with Government to provide the detail for the framework and ensure it is based on sound science and assessments based on actual risks, not perceived hazards. It will also work to see that the Healthy Bees plan is reviewed regularly and judged on the basis of actual improvements in the health of the nations honey bees.