New Import rules

[Erichalfbee]

It always surprised me that people would actually pay money to sweat in public. Why not become a beekeeper and do it for free?

Beekeeping is free?
I’m doing something wrong there.

 

[Patrick1]

I'm expecting some queens to be arrive rom the EU (Netherlands) early next week so I've duly applied for an import number. Then I received this:

"
Dear Importer.

Thank you for logging your intent to import honey bees via the IPAFFS System. Please continue to use the IPAFFS system to upload any further documents that are required for your import to be processed.

Shortly before the arrival date a National Bee Unit inspector may contact you to carry out an at destination risk-based import check. If contacted please do not complete the below action until the bees have been inspected.

Once you are in physical possession of the bees.

• Remove only the queen from the cage
• Send the original cages with attendant worker bees and other material that accompanied the queen bees from their country of origin to RM 02G06, Fera Science Ltd., York Biotech Campus, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, within 5 days of date of arrival. Please include your name, address, contact number and the IPAFFS Unique Reference Number with the parcel.

As the importer it is your legal responsibility to ensure the cages and bees arrive at Fera we therefore suggest you use some form of tracked delivery and are suitably packed for the postal service.

More information is available on the BeeBase website at Beebase - Beekeeping information resource for Beekeepers

Best wishes,

The National Bee Unit"

Does it strike anyone else as odd that a "legal responsibility" can be avoided by having a SBI visit? Part of the reason for doing the DASH certification all those years ago was that the SBI would only need to come every 3 years to do the audit.

At the risk of making this political, the NBU tell us they don't have the resources to inspect all these cages and attendants, So why add an additional layer of bureaucracy? We haven't had to send samples to the NBU since the early days of varroa. It's yet another cost that we're being asked to swallow because of Brexit.

It is incumbent on the importer to comply with the current regulations, as some my be aware we import a few bees the queens have to be separated from workers and cages they have to be sent to the NBU as well as our SBI inspecting them on arrival, we then send the attendants and cages to the NBU in 600 batches. Personally I am verry happy to be inspected, we then share any responsibilities should anything go wrong.

 

[B+.]

Beekeeping is free?
I’m doing something wrong there.

Me too...but, that's not what I meant. The choice is free, the activity is far from it.

 

[Patrick1]

Yes. These are changes that will occur next year, but there are others already being implemented as indicated above.

Perhaps one change which may not be appreciated by members of this forum, but one that will affect me (but probably customers of imported queens too) is that any delay in the process increases the rejection rate as queens will have spent too long in transit. I pay extra so they arrive here overnight but will others? I doubt it.
If they have to be inspected at Heathrow (my understanding is this will only be a check to see if documentation is in order) there will, by necessity, be some delay as it is no longer a direct flight.

My understanding is that sending in cages/attendants only applies to queens imported into the UK. My point is that nothing has changed, but now the NBU are going to have lots of cages/attendants to examine. Do you really think they will? or is this another bit of pointless bureaucracy? Is this what we've become? A nation of form fillers and pencil pushers?
Obviously, this will affect the price of queens (not just mine) - how many queens come from abroad that are sold by all those well known bee suppliers we hear about. No doubt their prices will go up too.

something like 22,000 queens imported 2020, just a thought but why don't we rear our own ? a better bee easily produced

 

[Erichalfbee]

Me too...but, that's not what I meant. The choice is free, the activity is far from it.

I know.

 

[B+.]

It is incumbent on the importer to comply with the current regulations, as some my be aware we import a few bees the queens have to be separated from workers and cages they have to be sent to the NBU as well as our SBI inspecting them on arrival, we then send the attendants and cages to the NBU in 600 batches. Personally I am verry happy to be inspected, we then share any responsibilities should anything go wrong.

Yes. I can see where you're coming from but if someone tries to feather their own nest at your expense, do you accept it? I am actually following the rules (both EU and UK) completely. I would just like some assurance that the NBU are going to do something with these samples and it isn't just another colossal waste of time/effort/money the way our government usually does.
I see that you're keen to exploit the risk-sharing angle but we shouldn't need to duplicate work to do that, especially those of us who are not profit-oriented. I pay for all my own equipment, time, etc and only sell a few queens so the financial burden isn't too onerous. That is different to being "in business" (even under accounting/tax definitions).
I suppose my purpose is as much to raise the awareness of beekeepers on this forum that prices are going to rise significantly next year as a direct result of brexit as to "get it off my chest" at having to take extra steps to import bees.

 

[B+.]

something like 22,000 queens imported 2020, just a thought but why don't we rear our own ? a better bee easily produced

We disagree on that but, if you'd like to provide evidence to support your statement, I'm sure we'd all be very interested.
I'm not sure where this "a better bee" idea came from.

 

[madasafish]

We disagree on that but, if you'd like to provide evidence to support your statement, I'm sure we'd all be very interested.
I'm not sure where this "a better bee" idea came from.

" Since the end of the Transition Period, it has no longer been possible to import colonies or packages of bees directly into Great Britain from the EU. It’s still possible to import queen bees, and in 2020 we imported over 21,000 to GB. "
DEFRA
https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/02/08/bee-importation/

Surely "the better bee" comes from "raising your own queens from local bees."

 

[B+.]

" Since the end of the Transition Period, it has no longer been possible to import colonies or packages of bees directly into Great Britain from the EU. It’s still possible to import queen bees, and in 2020 we imported over 21,000 to GB. "
DEFRA
https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/02/08/bee-importation/

Surely "the better bee" comes from "raising your own queens from local bees."

yes. I am not importing packages. I am importing queens as part of an ongoing development project (at my own expense). Not for commercial gain. These bees will never be sold on.
The idea that raising your own queens can compare with a selective breeding programme is preposterous. The only way that they're "better" is that they're free (except, they aren't - some people can't raise queens and even if they could, there's a fair bit of work involved so it isn't really free).

 

[Hebeegeebee]

It always surprised me that people would actually pay money to sweat in public. Why not become a beekeeper and do it for free?

Yep, I could wring out my beekeeping socks on Saturday.

 

[Patrick1]

" Since the end of the Transition Period, it has no longer been possible to import colonies or packages of bees directly into Great Britain from the EU. It’s still possible to import queen bees, and in 2020 we imported over 21,000 to GB. "
DEFRA
https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/02/08/bee-importation/

Surely "the better bee" comes from "raising your own queens from local bees."

A locally produced Queen is adjusted to local conditions much easily, thus a better hive will follow.

 

[Patrick1]

Yes. I can see where you're coming from but if someone tries to feather their own nest at your expense, do you accept it? I am actually following the rules (both EU and UK) completely. I would just like some assurance that the NBU are going to do something with these samples and it isn't just another colossal waste of time/effort/money the way our government usually does.
I see that you're keen to exploit the risk-sharing angle but we shouldn't need to duplicate work to do that, especially those of us who are not profit-oriented. I pay for all my own equipment, time, etc and only sell a few queens so the financial burden isn't too onerous. That is different to being "in business" (even under accounting/tax definitions).
I suppose my purpose is as much to raise the awareness of beekeepers on this forum that prices are going to rise significantly next year as a direct result of brexit as to "get it off my chest" at having to take extra steps to import bees.

If the queens are produced locally we are not governed my anyone

 

[B+.]

A locally produced Queen is adjusted to local conditions much easily, thus a better hive will follow.

Now, do you mean a locally produced F1 of good origin and temperament or do you mean the local mongrel? If I had £1 for every time I've heard the "local bee" story, I'd be a very rich man.

 

[North End Bees]

- some people can't raise queens and even if they could, there's a fair bit of work involved so it isn't really free).

And some people let the bees do the fair bit of work themselves and raise their own locally adapted queens.

 

[Apiarist]

The idea that raising your own queens can compare with a selective breeding program is preposterous. The only way that they're "better" is that they're free (except, they aren't - some people can't raise queens and even if they could, there's a fair bit of work involved so it isn't really free).

A small group of us here in NI have been rearing our own Queens, it is not easy, nor cheap, and it is a lot of hassle, this morning I spent 2 hours on Queen Rearing related stuff, even in a ventilated suit I'm exhausted!
This year I was told by a very experienced beek that many people (in Ireland) just buy in a couple of queens every year and re-queen, ie: 2 of their 4 hives each year. Now looking back over the past few years and considering everything, I can understand why..... BUT if one is going to requeen their hive(s) then why not pay the same amount of money for a type of bee which is generally accepted by the majority of beeks (and backed up by scientific methods/studies) to have uniform character like low aggression and lower swarmyness. Looking at it like this I can truly understand why there is such a high demand for imported Queens (for re-sale).

 

[Apiarist]

https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/02/08/bee-importation/

Is there an equivalent website for the Republic Of Ireland with similar Import Information?
Is there a breakdown of, from which countries these bees are coming in from, etc. or where/who do I contact to get this info.?

What about Export Information, for the UK and the Republic Of Ireland ... there's been talk over the past few years from beeks here in Ireland (the island) of Irish Queen Breeders (or rearers...) exporting bees back to the continent (the most recent genetic study on bees here in Ireland suggests this).

Also it's probably too much to ask for if anyone knows of a breakdown showing Imports into Northern Ireland?

 

[B+.]

A small group of us here in NI have been rearing our own Queens, it is not easy, nor cheap, and it is a lot of hassle, this morning I spent 2 hours on Queen Rearing related stuff, even in a ventilated suit I'm exhausted!
This year I was told by a very experienced beek that many people (in Ireland) just buy in a couple of queens every year and re-queen, ie: 2 of their 4 hives each year. Now looking back over the past few years and considering everything, I can understand why..... BUT if one is going to requeen their hive(s) then why not pay the same amount of money for a type of bee which is generally accepted by the majority of beeks (and backed up by scientific methods/studies) to have uniform character like low aggression and lower swarmyness. Looking at it like this I can truly understand why there is such a high demand for imported Queens (for re-sale).

I agree with you that doing anything worthwhile is never cheap nor easy. However, if you are reliant on open mating, it would seem to be a sensible precaution to use instrumental insemination. A bit like driving a car - you can never be sure what the other guy is going to do so you take sensible precautions yourself. That's what I do.

 

[madasafish]

Is there an equivalent website for the Republic Of Ireland with similar Import Information?
Is there a breakdown of, from which countries these bees are coming in from, etc. or where/who do I contact to get this info.?

ROI? No idea.
Source of Qs? Defra have one . Beebase - Beekeeping information resource for Beekeepers

Google is my friend. I ask it

 

[Apiarist]

Here's the Link for 2021 so far, ... interesting to see a single shipment of 250 queens from Argentina so far... I wonder what the genetics are, ligustica with a smidgeon of scutellata ?
https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/public/BeeDiseases/importReport.cfm

 

[rolande]

Here's the Link for 2021 so far, ... interesting to see a single shipment of 250 queens from Argentina so far... I wonder what the genetics are, ligustica with a smidgeon of scutellata ?
https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/public/BeeDiseases/importReport.cfm

Probably Martin Braunstein(sp?) of Malka Queens.

Some nice video overviews of his operation on YouTube.

No scutellata.