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Welcome to the British Beekeepers' Association

The BBKA is a charity set up in 1874. Today it has more than 15,000 members, an increase of 10 per cent over the last 12 months, and works to support and promote honey bees and beekeeping. Educating the public of the enormous importance of honey bees and pollination to everyone's lives is one of its priorities. Another key role is to represent its members views and concerns about the health of the UK's honey bees. It lobbies government, the European Union and statutory bodies on these issues. Currently it is campaigning to raise the level of Government funding for research into the diseases which threaten to wipe out our honey bees. It is asking the Government to commit £8 million over the next five years to this research programme over which period pollination will have contributed over £800 million (£165 million per annum) into the agricultural economy.

Our current weather patterns mean there is is no fixed date to the start or end to the beekeeper's year, and like all crops, there are regional variations too. Beekeepers usually start opening their hives in March, and the first crop of honey is taken out of the hive in late April/ May. The main crop is taken out of the hive in July or early August. Some beekeepers have a later crop of heather or ivy honey which is taken off in September. Most beekeeping associations hold their end of season honey shows in October and by mid November, usually, the bees are clustering in the hive until spring.

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News Home > Statements > BBKA Statement on Research Funding Announcement

BBKA Statement on Research Funding Announcement

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By Martin Smith
President, BBKA

Published Apr 21, 2009

bees on comb

The British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA) today, 21 April, 2009, welcomes the announcement that additional money is to be found to fund bee health research. This is in addition to the £2 million already promised by Defra and will take the total funds available to some £10 million. The new money comes from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Scottish Government, and the Wellcome Trust.

The BBKA has recently published its document “Honey Bee Health – Research Concepts” which identifies key research projects to be pursued, covering a range of work from Varroa to viruses, queen bee quality to bee breeding and husbandry to habitat loss.

This new funding will enable Research Institutes to make bids to fund the urgent research work needed to combat the threats facing honey bee health. The BBKA looks forward to playing a full part in identifying and prioritising the research projects to be initiated.

Tim Lovett, President of the BBKA, said: ”This news is most welcome and represents a victory for the campaign that the British Beekeepers have undertaken during the last 12 months. It is vital that these funds are committed to the work that can make a real difference and meet the challenges facing honey bees.

“Our sincere hope is that the majority of these funds will be directed towards practical research into the problems and threats that honey bees face in this country. We very much look forward to working closely with the funding bodies to ensure the correct projects and priorities are identified and supported based closely on our document ‘Honey Bee Health – Research Concepts’.

NFU Press Release 21st April 2009 (20 KB)
The £10 million research initiative to tackle bee and pollinator decline announced by Defra today, Tuesday, must be targeted accurately to identify and solve the real problems facing the key pollinators of crops, according to the NFU.
BBKA Press Release 21st April 2009 (33 KB)
Download a PDF version of this press release.
Defra Press Release 21st April 2009 (28 KB)
Download Defra press release 21st April 2009 in PDF.

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Related links

More from Statements

BBKA Statement on Research Funding Announcement
BBKA Statement on Defra Funding Announcement.
BBKA Press Release 21st April 2009 (33 KB)
Honey Bee Health Research Concepts – the research we need
Over the last year or so, following on from our Research Colloquium in July 2007, the BBKA has been putting together a comprehensive programme indicating the research needed to help deal with bee health challenges and threats.
BBKA Welcomes National Audit Office Interest In Bees
The report highlights the potential losses to UK agriculture that would arise if the honey bee population continued to decline.
BBKA Welcomes £150,000 Donation for Bee Health Research Funding
The £150,000 donation for research into the decline of the honey bee announced today by The Co-operative as part of  its new ‘Plan Bee’.
BBKA Response to DEFRA Increased Funding for Bee Health Research
The British Beekeepers Association is pleased to see that its sustained campaign to increase funding for bee health research has been recognised by the Government.