Beekeepers Ask for Better Access to Varroa Mite Treatments

ABC Riverland

Topic: Beekeeping

Thursday, 30 July 2026, at 6:28 am

Thursday, 30 July 2026, at 11:22 am

South Australian beekeepers think that Australia's food production could stop because of the varroa mite.

In short:

Australia's food production is worth tens of billions of dollars and relies on honey bees to pollinate crops.

Beekeepers want the government to give them more access to organic treatments to manage the varroa mite.

What's next?

Beekeepers can only use organic treatments once a year, which they say is not enough to protect key industries.

Beekeepers in South Australia are asking for more access to organic treatments for the varroa mite.

The varroa mite is known as the worst parasite for honey bees and was first found in South Australia in September 2025.

The mites feed and reproduce on honey bee larvae and pupae, causing malformations.

A commercial almond grower in South Australia spent over $2.3 million to bring 7,500 healthy beehives from Western Australia to pollinate crops.

Ian Cass manages 400 beehives in the Riverland region of South Australia.

Ian Cass has been a beekeeper for eight years and used to be a dryland farmer.

Mr. Cass makes his own organic treatments to save money.

He said that beekeepers can only use organic treatments once a year, even if they make their own.

Mr. Cass thinks that the varroa mite crisis requires a change in the current regulations.

He said that organic treatments must be used carefully, but they are cheaper than synthetic treatments.

Even if beekeepers could use commercial organic treatments more than once a year, it would still be expensive.

What happens if we lose our honey bees?

Bees in Queensland and New South Wales are already becoming resistant to synthetic treatments for the varroa mite.

The almond industry, cherry industry, and other industries are affected by the varroa mite.

Beekeepers say that billions of dollars are at stake if crops are not pollinated.

The cost of food will increase if honey bees are not available to pollinate crops.

The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council says that honey bees contribute $14.2 billion to the Australian economy every year.

The CEO of the council, Danny Le Feuvre, is not surprised that growers are spending millions to import bees from other regions.

Danny Le Feuvre says that action needs to be taken quickly to address the varroa mite crisis.

The varroa mite was first detected in New South Wales in June 2022 and has since been found in other states.

There will be a shortage of bee colonies to fulfill the pollination demand in August and September.

The almond industry needs bees to pollinate its crops.

The Almond Board of Australia's chief executive, Tim Jackson, says that up to 60,000 beehives will be brought to South Australia to pollinate almonds.

He says that the industry will have to get used to importing bees because Australia's wild honey bee colonies are on the brink of collapse.

One in three foods that people eat requires a bee to be pollinated.

Tim Jackson is optimistic about the future of the almond industry despite the varroa mite crisis.

There is a national crisis looming around pollination security due to the spread of the varroa mite.

Why can't beekeepers use organic treatments more often?

There are eight products approved for controlling the varroa mite in Australia, each with strict usage instructions.

Synthetic treatments are easy to use and effective, but the varroa mite can quickly become resistant to them.

The varroa mite was first detected in South Australia's Riverland region in 2025.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority says that access to treatments is expanding.

The authority is evaluating applications for new treatment options and working with applicants to progress them as quickly as possible.

A federal government spokesperson says that the management of the varroa mite, including treatment decisions, is the responsibility of state and territory governments.

The government has committed $100 million to the national varroa mite response program.

South Australia's Shadow Primary Industries Minister, Nicola Centofanti, says that the state government needs to speed up the approvals process for organic treatments.

Nicola Centofanti says that there are already resistances to synthetic treatments in Australia.

She says that the government needs to provide beekeepers with the tools and methods to treat the varroa mite effectively.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions says that the full range of approved treatments is available free of charge to registered beekeepers who have notified them of varroa mite in their apiaries.

The department says that while it has not received any reports of resistance to treatments in South Australia, sampling indicates that there are resistant varroa populations in the state.

The department also says that South Australia does not have enough managed hives to support large-scale pollination events and therefore needs to import hives.

The federal government says that it continues to invest in the management of the varroa mite.

The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council will continue to monitor the latest research into organic treatments.

One of the benefits of organic treatments is that the varroa mite struggles to develop resistance to them.

The council is aware that the current regulations do not provide enough flexibility for beekeepers and is supporting efforts to gain access to more products.

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