09/06/2026
We do not do this often, if at all. We are asking all our friends to share this open letter far and wide to help get this message out!
An Open Letter from an Australian Beekeeper and Small Family Business.
To our communities, policymakers, industry leaders and fellow Australians,
Australia's beekeeping industry is hurting.
For many outside our industry, the arrival of Varroa mite may seem like a problem affecting bees alone. For those of us living it every day, the reality is far more confronting. Varroa is affecting businesses, families, livelihoods, food production and the future of pollination in Australia.
Australia was the last major honey-producing nation in the world to remain free of Varroa mite. Today, Australian beekeepers are being forced to adapt to a challenge that other countries have spent decades learning to manage.
Across the country, colonies now require constant monitoring and treatment simply to survive. What was once a relatively low-intervention industry has become a relentless battle against a pest that has devastated honey bee populations around the world.
The warning signs are already here.
Australia is home to more than 47,000 registered beekeepers and approximately 855,000 managed honey bee hives. Together, these bees support not only honey production but also the pollination services that underpin much of Australian agriculture.
Industry surveys conducted between 2024 and 2026 show the growing pressure being placed on beekeepers as they adapt to managing Varroa. AgriFutures Australia reports that beekeepers in affected regions are spending an average of more than 390 additional hours every year managing and treating colonies. That is the equivalent of more than ten weeks of full-time work dedicated solely to keeping bees alive.
At the same time, operating costs continue to rise, production is declining and hive losses are mounting.
But behind every statistic is a beekeeper, a family business and a story of loss.
Here in Logan, in South East Queensland alone, it is estimated that more than 2,500 honey bee hives have died either directly or indirectly as a result of Varroa mite and its associated impacts in the last 6 months alone. That figure represents only a small sample of what is occurring across the region. Throughout Greater Brisbane and surrounding areas, many thousands more hives have been lost as beekeepers battle declining colony health, increasing management costs and reduced productivity.
If more than 2,500 hives have been lost in Logan and surrounding communities alone, the true impact across South East Queensland and Australia is likely many times greater.
Our own family has not been spared.
Over the past 3 months we have personally lost more than 60% of our honey bee colonies. These are not simply boxes of bees. They represent years of breeding, countless hours of work, significant financial investment and millions of pollinators that once contributed to our local food systems and environment.
Yet the reality is that we are only a small cog in Australia's beekeeping industry.
There are commercial and multigenerational beekeeping families across Australia managing hundreds, and in many cases thousands, of hives. Some have spent decades, even generations, building their businesses, developing pollination services and breeding stock suited to Australian conditions.
If losses on our scale are difficult to comprehend, I can only imagine the financial, emotional and operational toll being experienced by those carrying much larger operations and generations of family history.
Behind every hive number is a family.
Behind every apiary is a livelihood.
Behind every loss is a story.
For many beekeepers, these losses are not isolated events. They are occurring season after season, forcing difficult decisions about whether businesses can continue operating in an increasingly challenging environment.
Yet despite the scale of the challenge, many beekeepers feel they are fighting this battle largely alone.
At a time when the industry should be united, it is disappointing to see some self appointed "influencers" and commentators using this crisis to push personal agendas, create division and chase attention.
For many beekeepers, this is not a social media debate.
It is their livelihood.
It is their family business.
It is their future.
For every self-appointed "influencer" seeking attention or pushing a personal agenda, there are countless real beekeepers sharing the reality of what they are experiencing on the ground. Sometimes those stories are confronting. Sometimes they are delivered with brutal honesty. But they are the lived experiences of people watching years of breeding programs, hard work, investment and passion disappear before their eyes.
Rather than listening, too often keyboard warriors attempt to hijack those conversations to promote their own causes, beliefs or agendas.
This crisis is not about personalities.
It is not about followers.
It is not about who can generate the most engagement online.
It is about protecting pollinators, supporting beekeepers and safeguarding Australia's food security.
The people living this crisis deserve to be heard.
While healthy discussion is important, many beekeepers no longer have the luxury of debating theoretical futures. They are focused on keeping their bees alive, paying their bills and ensuring pollination services remain available for Australian agriculture.
The Australian beekeeping industry needs practical solutions, collaboration and support—not more division.
This is not about choosing between honey bees and native bees.
Australia's native pollinators are incredibly important. They contribute to biodiversity, ecosystem health and environmental resilience. Anyone who knows our family knows how passionate we are about rescuing, rehabilitating and educating people about native bees and the vital role they play in our environment.
But supporting native bees should not come at the expense of supporting the beekeepers who manage honey bees.
Both are important.
Both deserve protection.
Both contribute to Australia's future.
What concerns many of us is that while beekeepers are facing significant losses, the broader implications for food security and agriculture are not receiving the attention they deserve.
According to AgriFutures Australia, the honey bee and pollination industry contributes an estimated $14 billion to the Australian economy. Pollination is not a luxury. It is essential infrastructure that underpins Australian agriculture and food security.
Every hive lost represents far more than a reduction in honey production. It represents fewer pollinators in our landscapes, reduced pollination capacity for farmers, diminished food production and the loss of knowledge held by the beekeepers who care for them.
The conversation must move beyond division and toward solutions.
We need governments at all levels to recognise the scale of this challenge and provide meaningful support to the industry. We need investment in research, education, surveillance, treatment options and long-term resilience programs. We need practical assistance for the beekeepers who are carrying the financial and operational burden of managing Varroa.
We need recognition that protecting pollinators is not simply about protecting an industry. It is about protecting food production, regional communities and Australia's agricultural future.
Most importantly, we need unity.
The future of Australian pollination will not be secured through social media arguments, personal attacks or competing agendas. It will be secured by people working together, sharing knowledge, supporting one another and advocating for the resources needed to protect our pollinators.
Government leaders need to act now.
While we appreciate the concern, encouragement and support shown by many Australians, thoughts and prayers will not save our bees, protect pollination services or secure Australia's food production systems.
What we need is action.
What we need is investment.
What we need is meaningful support for the beekeepers who are carrying the burden of this crisis.
Because every hive lost today makes the challenge greater tomorrow.
And while the losses are being felt most heavily by beekeepers right now, the consequences will ultimately be shared by every Australian who relies on a secure, affordable and productive food system.
The Australian beekeeping industry has always been resilient. We are problem-solvers. We are innovators. We are passionate about our bees and committed to the role they play in our environment and food systems.
But resilience should not be mistaken for invincibility.
Because fewer bees means less pollination.
Less pollination means less food.
And that is a problem that affects every Australian.
Sincerely,
The Roebig Family
An Australian Beekeeper Family Business
