What do seasonal bee inspectors do in the winter?

[Tom Bick]

My SBI only replies to email/phone messages from April to September and her emails are divert to the RBI outside those dates

Though i know she is around as I see her in the Waitrose supermarket

She's not great with technology during the season

 

[REDWOOD]

Not quite - they are employed permanently by Fera but on 'seasonal hours' s

Government ploy to pretend they are in work all the year round? One third of the real salary for the job, but paid as though they were working the whole year? Might even make the job pay rate below the minimum wage? Simply moving the goalposts to reduce the numbers of unemployed counted/reported by the government in office, as I see it.

And then there's zero hour contracts, you could employ 100 people working 2 hours a week although most work 24 hours so they can claim benefits

 

[Father Fox]

I was told that SBI's no longer work for FERA, it's now some other government agency who employs them. I think FERA are being privatised.

 

[Moggett]

Are you saying that the other FERA staff would be called upon to deal with SHB if it were to be discovered here?

No. SHB would probably be treated the same as varroa was.

F&M has a greater economic impact hence the bigger response.

 

[Pete D]

I was told that SBI's no longer work for FERA, it's now some other government agency who employs them. I think FERA are being privatised.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency will begin on 1 October 2014 to better equip the government to prevent the spread of animal and plant diseases, and to respond to emergencies.

Chris Hadkiss has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the combined agency. Mr Hadkiss is currently Chief Executive of Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) where he took up post in January 2013.

Earlier this year it was announced that a combined agency would be created, with four functions of Fera (Bee inspectorate, the Plants Health and Seeds Inspectorate, the Plant Variety and Seeds Group and the GM Inspectorate) joining with AHVLA.

Animal and plant health inspectors have a strong history of working together in times of disease emergency, and this will be made easier when they are part of the same organisation. The Animal and Plant Health Agency will also play a vital role in stopping pests, diseases, and invasive non-native species entering the UK.

 

[Geb]

Does that mean that the government is now only monitoring and no longer doing any of its own research into bee health?

 

[Grif]

So who runs beebase now? I thought it was FERA? what do they do now they are private?

 

[Davelin]

Quote from Beebase website:

"Welcome to BeeBase

BeeBase is the Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA) National Bee Unit website."

which would seem to answer your question.

 

[mbc]

So who runs beebase now? I thought it was FERA? what do they do now they are private?

The NBU is still the NBU, its just a badge change further up the line,dont you just love being a taxpayer

 

[mbc]

They can also be called up to immediately assist if there is a foot and mouth or similar problem as well.

When the extent of the Scottish efb problem a few years ago started coming to light they quickly retrained staff with other expertise to deal with bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The Animal and Plant Health Agency will begin on 1 October 2014

That explains why my SBI's name was suffixed by APHA in the reply. I wondered what that meant. I should keep up.

 

[Geb]

This is confusing. The link from the NBU website for SBI vacancies takes you to the Fera web site..... ?
Not fully split yet I suppose. And no SBI vacancies.

 

[Pete D]

I attended the Eastern region forum a month or so ago organised by the regional bee inspector and his team.
This 'rebranding' was explained then. The overview was that as beekeepers we would not see any real change..........

Later the role of BHA, bee health adviser was briefly mentioned. A BHA will be an experienced local beekeeper probably belonging to your local association who can be called on for advice in the first instant if a beekeeper thinks he has a problem but is not sure. This may save the SBI's time if it ends up being nothing.
BHA is an unpaid role as I understand it................possibly like a 'special constable' or 'police community support officer'.

With the DASH scheme and now BHA one might conclude that there is a longer term aim of bee health issues costing nothing as its all done by volunteers..............plenty of cash left then for the next rebranding.

 

[Geb]

With the DASH scheme and now BHA one might conclude that there is a longer term aim of bee health issues costing nothing as its all done by volunteers..............plenty of cash left then for the next rebranding.

Yep, it does seem that lots more roles are now filled with volunteer labour. The National Trust is using them as guides, gardeners, wardens (fair enough) and now even thinking of using them in the kitchens & waiting on tables.

Now unpaid volunteer SBI s ? NBU on the cheap.

 

[madasafish]

Yep, it does seem that lots more roles are now filled with volunteer labour. The National Trust is using them as guides, gardeners, wardens (fair enough) and now even thinking of using them in the kitchens & waiting on tables.

Now unpaid volunteer SBI s ? NBU on the cheap.

Wait for the next Government - of whatever hue - to discover they cannot afford to keep spending money as we are and decide to cut back seriously..about 2018-9 (next financial crisis due then).

Then you'll be glad there is a volunteer force.

 

[wmfd]

Mine walks all over the countryside and counts Beech trees for somebody, I think the Environmental Agency.

Same with mine, he was looking at trees, although I think he was looking for ash dieback. I assume that is for the plant health people (so another part of the same new body).

 

[Bosleeu]

Same with mine, he was looking at trees, although I think he was looking for ash dieback. I assume that is for the plant health people (so another part of the same new body).

We may have the same one, I could very well have remembered the wrong tree name. A very nice chap he was.

 

[Apple]

The Animal and Plant Health Agency will also play a vital role in stopping pests, diseases, and invasive non-native species entering the UK.

Bolts, Stables, Horses and Doors spring to my mind, however it is comforting to seem my overtaxed teachers salary being spent so wisely!


James
__________________

 

[Pete D]

[COLOR="Magenta however it is comforting to seem my overtaxed teachers salary being spent so wisely!


James
__________________

just consider the extra tax as a down payment on your pension plan and holiday allowance, I do

 

[mbc]

I attended the Eastern region forum a month or so ago organised by the regional bee inspector and his team.
This 'rebranding' was explained then. The overview was that as beekeepers we would not see any real change..........

Later the role of BHA, bee health adviser was briefly mentioned. A BHA will be an experienced local beekeeper probably belonging to your local association who can be called on for advice in the first instant if a beekeeper thinks he has a problem but is not sure. This may save the SBI's time if it ends up being nothing.
BHA is an unpaid role as I understand it................possibly like a 'special constable' or 'police community support officer'.

With the DASH scheme and now BHA one might conclude that there is a longer term aim of bee health issues costing nothing as its all done by volunteers..............plenty of cash left then for the next rebranding.

The other side of the coin is that the eu monies for beekeeping might reach beekeepers directly without being siphoned off to the nbu