Help shape the future of Australia’s honey bee and pollination industry – your voice matters

Australia’s honey bee and pollination industry is at a turning point—and AgriFutures Australia is inviting beekeepers, bee breeders, researchers and industry stakeholders to help shape its future through the next Honey Bee & Pollination Program RD&E Plan.

The current Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Plan concludes in 2025, and work is now underway to develop a new plan that will guide investment and innovation through to 2030. Stakeholder input is critical to ensure the plan reflects the real needs, challenges and priorities of the industry.

“We’re committed to ensuring the next RD&E Plan is shaped by those who know the industry best—beekeepers, researchers, and stakeholders working on the ground every day,” said Amanda Olthof, Senior Manager, AgriFutures Honey Bee & Pollination Program.

“Stakeholder insights will help us develop a plan that’s not only robust and relevant, but also future-focused—ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

About the Program

The AgriFutures Honey Bee & Pollination Program supports a productive, sustainable and profitable beekeeping industry while securing the pollination of Australia’s horticultural and agricultural crops. It invests in research to improve hive health, manage biosecurity threats such as varroa mite, enhance pollination services, and focuses on building industry capability through initiatives like early career researcher support and national breeding strategies.

Why it matters

The honey bee and pollination industry plays a vital role in Australia’s agricultural success. Some key highlights:

• The economic contribution of honey bee pollination to Australian crop production in 2020-2021 was $4.6 billion.
• Around two-thirds of Australian agricultural production relies on insect pollination—most of which is provided by honey bees. These pollination services are essential for the productivity of high-value crops such as almonds, apples, avocados, berries and melons.
• Across Australia, there are almost 2,000 commercial beekeeping enterprises and more than 47,000 recreational beekeepers.

The European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a cornerstone of our food systems and rural livelihoods, making its continued health and the industry’s sustainability a national priority.

Have your say

AgriFutures Australia invites all stakeholders to complete a short five-minute survey to help shape the future of RD&E for the honey bee and pollination industry. Your insights will directly influence the direction of future research and investment.

Take the survey
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