Feasibility study – Commercial bee hive and honey traceability system

Summary

This project is a comprehensive feasibility study to determine the viability of a national beehive and honey traceability system for Australia. It aims to strengthen preparedness for exotic and endemic bee pests, protect pollination-dependent industries and support international trade while keeping business costs and productivity stable. The purpose is to determine whether a national beehive and honey traceability system is practical, beneficial, and supported by industry, providing detailed proof-of-concept models and recommendations for successful adoption.

This work will build a strong research and development agenda for beehive traceability and increase understanding of potential risks and opportunities. Current and potential tracking and tracing capabilities will be identified to advance biosecurity and food safety responses, export opportunities, and confidence in Australian bee products. Data standardisation to enable interoperability of traceability systems including technical, financial, legal and governance requirements to support a national scalable approach will also be considered. The outcome will provide a nationally informed, practical and industry endorsed pathway for a traceability system that enhances the biosecurity and sustainability of Australia’s honeybee and pollination sectors.

Program

Honey Bee

Research Organisation

Integrity Compliance Solutions

Objective Summary

The project will explore possible avenues to set up a national system to track where beehives and honey come from within Australia. The aim is to see if the system is a good idea, if it will help the honey industry, and whether people who work in the industry actually want it. The project will include examples and suggestions for how such a tracking system could work. It will also look at what’s missing or needed to make a national system successful.

Multiple groups who are involved with honey will be consulted; including beekeepers, people who pack and export honey, technology companies, and government officials. The ideas and opinions from these groups will be collected and included in the project’s findings. To make sure the planning is on the right track, the project will also look at how industries in other countries (like honey businesses in New Zealand and Europe, maple syrup makers in Canada, and livestock farmers) keep track of their products.

The study will investigate different ways to track beehives and honey, such as barcodes, electronic tags, computer databases, or new technology like blockchain. The project will review how easy these tracking methods are to use, whether they work well with each other, and what honey businesses would need to use them. The study will also consider the costs of various options, and the legal rules that would have to be followed.

The end result will be a simple, step by step guide showing how a tracking system like this could be set up in Australia, the time required, ideas for making the changes smoother for everyone, and ways to avoid major problems. A draft report will be ready by April 2026 for feedback, followed by a final report in May 2026 that includes any changes. The project will also provide information about who is working on the study, their experience, a detailed project plan, and a proposed budget. The final report will give the Australian honey industry an easy-to-follow plan for starting a safe and reliable national tracking system for beehives and honey.