This exciting opportunity is open to beekeepers with direct experience with commercial honey production and/or pollination service provision. Honey producers or pollination service providers looking to drive the honey bee industry and take the next step in career development are encouraged to apply. A position on the Honey Bee & Pollination Program Advisory Panel will give you direct access to frontline research and experts in honey, honey production and pollination services.
Researchers and scientists with experience in the honey or honey bee system are also encouraged to apply. It is important that researchers applying display knowledge in one of the following key areas of production: honey, honey bee, or honey bee pollination. Researchers with a broader empathy and understanding of the industry will also be considered. A position on the Honey Bee & Pollination Program Advisory Panel will drive research topics and priorities. The successful applicant will provide advice to researchers and help develop projects that deliver on key industry priorities.
About the Honey Bee & Pollination Program
The AgriFutures Honey Bee & Pollination Program invests in research, development and extension (RD&E) that maximises opportunities and minimises risks for a profitable and productive honey bee industry. The program focuses on improving bee health, developing technology to assist producers, understanding the benefits of honey, understanding floral resources, and improving pollination outcomes for honey bees.
AgriFutures Australia receives the honey levy (statutory levy on honey sales) to invest in line with the industry objectives of the Strategic RD&E Plan. The Honey Bee & Pollination Program Strategic Plan has six main objectives:
- Identify and develop technology for improved hive performance
- Increase capacity within research community and future industry leaders
- Improve understanding of nutrition best practice and disease interaction
- Improve understanding of the benefits of honey and develop chain traceability
- Improve understanding of pollination strategies that impact crop yields and improve hive health
- Improve understanding of floral resources as assets for the Australian honey bee industry
Key components of this program include technology development and extending what research has already been completed by the program.
About the Advisory Panel
The Advisory Panel currently consists of commercial honey producers and pollination service providers, specialist researchers, and industry representatives with a range of skills and experience in the research, production, and pollinating together with a representative from AgriFutures Australia.
AgriFutures Australia aims to maintain geographical, age and gender diversity to ensure that the Advisory Panel appropriately represent the honey bee and pollination industry.
The Advisory Panel, in partnership with AgriFutures Australia, provides recommendations on the allocation of research, development and extension funding for the AgriFutures Australia Honey Bee & Pollination Program.
Advisory Panel Expectations
Advisory Panel members will be expected to prioritise and attend a maximum of four Advisory Panel meetings each calendar year and additional AgriFutures Australia meetings and training sessions as required (maximum two per year). These are held in varying locations, across Australia, or via videoconference at the discretion of AgriFutures Australia, the program manager and the Advisory Panel.
