Beekeeping
5.9 Beekeeping and Beekeeping Products
This section includes:
5.9.11-12 Siting of the Apiaries
5.9.20-26 Disease Prevention & Vet Treatments
5.9.27-35 Husbandry Management Practices
5.9.35-42 Hive characteristics
General Principles
5.9.1 Beekeeping is an important activity that contributes to the protection of the environment and agricultural and forestry production through the pollination action of bees.
5.9.2 The qualification of beekeeping products as being from organic production is closely bound up both with the characteristic of the hive treatments and the quality of the environment. This qualification also depends on the conditions for extraction, processing and storage of beekeeping products.
5.9.3 When an operator runs several beekeeping units in the same area all the units must comply with the requirements of this Standard.
By derogation from this principle, an operator can run units not complying with this Standard provided that all the requirements of this Standard are fulfilled with the exception of the provisions laid down in paragraph 5.9.12 for the siting of the apiaries. In that case, the product cannot be sold with references to organic production methods.
Where an exception has been granted AsureQuality will undertake inspections more frequently than once per year and at critical times. This will normally include inspections at the time of harvest of during processing.
Accurate production estimates must be recorded along with sales records. An inspection will include a visit of the non-organic fields and processing units.
Conversion Period
5.9.4 Beekeeping products can be sold with references to the organic production method only when the provisions laid down in this Standard have been complied with for at least one year. During the conversion period the wax has to be replaced according to the requirements laid down in paragraph 5.9.37.
Origin of the Bees
5.9.5 In the choice of breeds, account must be taken of the capacity of animals to adapt to local conditions, their vitality and their resistance to disease. Preference shall be given to the use of European breeds of Apis mellifera and their local ecotypes.
5.9.6 Apiaries must be constituted by means of the division of colonies or the acquisition of swarms or hives from units complying with the provisions laid down in this Standard.
5.9.7 Subject to the prior approval by AsureQuality, apiaries existing in the production unit not complying with the rules of this Standard can be converted.
5.9.9 The reconstitution of the apiaries shall be authorised by NZFSA, when apiaries complying with this Standard are not available, in case of a high mortality of animals caused by health or catastrophic circumstances, subject to the conversion period.
5.9.10 For the renovation of the apiaries 10% per year of the queen bees and swarms not complying with this Standard can be incorporated into the organic-production unit provided that the queen bees and swarms are placed in hives with combs or comb foundations coming from organic-production units. In this case, the conversion period in 5.9.4 will apply.
Siting of the Apiaries
5.9.11 A map on an appropriate scale listing the location of hives as provided for in Section 9.1.2, first indent shall be provided to AsureQuality by the beekeeper. Where no such areas are identified, the beekeeper must provide the AsureQuality with appropriate documentation and evidence, including suitable analyses if necessary, that the areas accessible to the colonies meet the conditions required in this Standard.
5.9.12 The siting of the apiaries must:
(a) Ensure enough natural nectar, honeydew and pollen sources for bees and access to water
(b) Be such that, within a radius of 3km from the apiary site, nectar and pollen sources consist essentially of organically produced crops and/or spontaneous vegetation, according to the requirements of Section 4 Rules of Production of this Standard, and crops not subject to the provisions of this Standard but treated with low environmental impact methods which cannot significantly affect the qualification of beekeeping production as being organic
(c) Maintain enough distance from any non-agricultural production sources possibly leading to contamination, for example: urban centres, motorways, industrial areas, waste dumps, waste incinerators etc. AsureQuality in consultation with NZFSA, will determine how this requirement is met
The above requirements do not apply to areas where flowering is not taking place, or when the hives are dormant.
Feed
5.9.13 At the end of the production season, hives must be left with reserves of honey and pollen sufficiently abundant to survive the winter.
5.9.14 The artificial feeding of colonies is authorised where the survival of the hives is endangered due to extreme climatic conditions. Artificial feeding shall be made with organically produced honey, preferably from the same organic-production unit.
5.9.15 NZFSA can authorise the use of organically produced sugar syrup, or organic sugar molasses instead of organically-produced honey in artificial feeding. In particular, when it is required by climatic conditions that provoke crystallisation of honey.
5.9.16 The following information shall be entered in the register of the apiaries with regard to the use of artificial feeding: Type of product, dates, quantities and hives where it is used.
5.9.17 Other products different from those indicated in paragraphs 5.9.13 to 5.9.17 cannot be used in beekeeping, which complies with this Standard.
5.9.18 Artificial feeding may be carried out only between the last honey harvest and 15 days before the start of the next nectar or honeydew flow period.
Disease prevention and veterinary treatments
5.9.20 Disease prevention in beekeeping shall be based on the following principles:
(a) The selection of appropriate hardy breeds
(b) The application of certain practices encouraging strong resistance to disease and the prevention of infections, such as: regular renewal of queen bees, systematic inspection of hives to detect any health anomalies, control of male broods in the hives, disinfecting of materials and equipment at regular intervals, destruction of contaminated material or sources, regular renewal of beeswax and sufficient reserves of pollen and honey in hives
5.9.21 If despite all the above preventive measures, the colonies become sick or infested, they must be treated immediately and, if necessary, the colonies can be placed in isolation apiaries.
5.9.22 The use of veterinary medicinal products in beekeeping, which complies with this Standard, shall respect the following principles:
(a) Only veterinary medicinal products that are authorized for the specific uses under the Animal Remedies Act (and/or the ACVM Act, HSNO Act)
(a) Phytotherapeutic and homeopathic products shall be used in preference to allopathic products chemically synthesised, provided that their therapeutic effect is effective for the condition for which the treatment is intended
(b) If the use of the above mentioned products should prove or is unlikely to be effective to eradicate a disease or infestation which risks destroying colonies, allopathic chemically synthesised medicinal products may be used under the responsibility of a veterinarian, or other persons authorised by AsureQuality, without prejudice to the principles laid down in paragraph (a) above
(c) The use of allopathic chemically synthesised medicinal products for preventive treatments is prohibited
(d) Without prejudice to the principle in (a) above formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and oxalic acid and the following substances: menthol, thymol, eucalyprol or camphor can be used in cases of infestation with Varroa jacobsoni
5.9.23 In addition to the above principles, veterinary treatments or treatments to hives, combs etc, which are compulsory under national legislation shall be authorised.
5.9.24 If a treatment is applied with chemically-synthesised allopathic products during such a period, the colonies treated must be placed in isolation apiaries, the products shall not be sold as organic and all the wax must be replaced with wax complying with the conditions laid down in this Standard. Subsequently, the conversion period of one year will apply to those colonies.
5.9.25 The requirements laid down in the previous paragraph do not apply to products mentioned in paragraph 5.9.22 (b).
5.9.26 Whenever veterinary medicinal products are to be used, the type of product (including the indication of the active pharmacological substance) together with details of the diagnosis, the posology, the method of administration, the products cannot be marketed as organically produced.
Farming management practices and identification
5.9.27 The destruction of bees in the combs as a method associated with the harvesting of beekeeping products is prohibited.
5.9.28 Mutilation such as clipping the wings of queen bees is prohibited.
5.9.29 The replacement of the queen bees involving the killing of the old queen is permitted.
5.9.30 The practice of destroying the male brood is permitted only to contain the infestation with Varroa jacobsoni.
5.9.31 The use of chemical synthetic repellents is prohibited during honey extraction operations.
5.9.32 The zone where the apiary is situated must be registered together with the identification of the hives. AsureQuality must be informed of the moving of apiaries with a deadline agreed on with AsureQuality.
5.9.33 Particular care shall be taken to ensure adequate extraction, processing and storage of beekeeping products. All the measures to comply with these requirements shall be recorded.
5.9.34 The removal of the supers and the honey extraction operations must be entered in the register of the apiary.
5.9.35 The use of smoke should be kept to a minimum. Acceptable smoking materials should be natural or from materials that meet the requirements of these standards.
Characteristics of hives and materials used in beekeeping
5.9.35 The hives must be made basically of natural materials presenting no risk of contamination to the environment or the apiculture products.
5.9.36 With the exception of products mentioned in paragraph 5.9.22 (d) only natural products such as propolis, wax and plant oils can be used in hives.
5.9.37 The beeswax for new foundations must come from organic production units. During the conversion period the wax shall be replaced by organically produced wax. Where no prohibited products have been previously used in the hive and there is no risk of contamination of wax, replacement wax is not necessary. In cases where all the wax cannot be replaced during a one-year period, the conversion period may be extended with the approval of AsureQuality.
5.9.38 The use of combs, which contain broods, is prohibited for honey extraction.
5.9.39 For the purposes of protecting materials (frames, hives and combs) in particular from pests, only appropriate products listed in Section 10, Table 2 are permitted.
5.9.40 Physical treatments such as stream or direct flame are permitted.
5.9.41 For pest and disease control and for hive disinfection the following products may be allowed:
- Caustic soda
- Lactic, oxalic, acetic acid
- Formic acid
- Sulphur
- Etheric oils
- Bacillus thuringiensis
5.9.42 In cases of parallel production AsureQuality will ensure:
- That the documentation regarding the production or processing, storage and sales is well managed and makes clear distinctions between certified and non-certified products
- The measures taken to safeguard against the risk to the organic integrity is understood at all levels of the operation
- Accurate production estimates are recorded and shall be checked against sales records
- The inspection includes visits to the non-organic areas
- Inspections shall occur more frequently than once per year and at critical times. This shall normally include inspection at the time of harvest or during processing.
