Apiculture New Zealand works for all sectors of the apiculture industry from backyard beekeepers, to commercials and honey exporters.  We support, advocate for and deliver benefits to the apiculture industry.  We are a voluntary membership organisation representing New Zealand beekeepers.

OUR HISTORY

ApiNZ was established in April 2016 after the restructure of the National Beekeepers Association of New Zealand (NBA) to better meet the needs of its members and the wider industry.

An interim working group comprising of nominees from the NBA, Federated Farmers Bee Industry Group, the Honey Packers and Exporters Association and the hobbyist sector was convened under the chairmanship of Kim Singleton.

The Industry Unification Project commenced with the goal to achieve a “fully inclusive, fully funded industry group structure that will provide a strong platform for future growth and prosperity”.

Apiculture New Zealand, started operation on 1 April 2016.  It is led by a board of directors and has a dedicated management team who work and advocate directly for industry.

NEW ZEALAND HONEYBEE CARE CODE™

The New Zealand Honeybee Care Code™ specifies practices of care that ensure honeybees are treated humanely with their physical, health and behavioural needs taken fully into account in all aspects of beekeeping operations.

It has been developed with the aim of incorporating good beekeeping practices into a formal industry-wide voluntary code that provides a tangible demonstration of New Zealand beekeepers’ commitment to prioritising honeybee health.  Read more here.

If you have questions on the Code, please contact info@apinz.org.nz

OUR DOCUMENTS

The Code of Conduct for our members sets the standard for how our members and industry should operate in a responsible and sustainable way. It is a voluntary code and that will be continually updated and adapted to meet industry needs.

Apiculture New Zealand has initiated a plan to address the issues facing our industry.

Our Constitution sets out the rules which Apiculture New Zealand operates under.

Want to become an Apiculture New Zealand member?

Here is what we do for you

Apiculture New Zealand works directly for our members, championing our industry and working to build a stronger future for all parts of the apiculture sector.

We do that by:

Leading

We take a leadership role on behalf of members and the needs of the whole industry.

  • Advocacy on the industry’s behalf at the highest levels of government and to international trade groups. For example, in April 2023 ApiNZ secured $250,000 in Government funding for beekeepers to address biosecurity and bee health risks for Cyclone Gabrielle-damaged hives
  • Strategic direction for the industry as a whole. In February 2024, Apiculture New Zealand released an ambitious sector strategy, Thriving Together: Futureproofing New Zealand Apiculture, aimed at revitalising New Zealand’s honey sector.

Informing

We keep industry informed with timely, trusted updates.

  • We publish a quarterly online publication – The New Zealand BeeKeeper journal.
  • We publish quarterly market insights.
  • We provide weekly industry updates to members and urgent updates when necessary.

Strengthening

We work collaboratively across our industry, government agencies and other sectors to build a stronger future.

  • We work with cross-sector groups on key issues like climate change, biosecurity, employment and education to make sure apiculture is part of these conversations.
  • We work on increasing market access.
  • We delivered the NZ Honey Story – a set of marketing tools for industry to promote NZ honey internationally.

Supporting

We provide tools and resources for members that add value to their business.

  • Our experienced and knowledgeable management team and Board are available to answer member enquiries.
  • We provide a growing library of online resources for our members including the BeeSmart Toolkit for businesses.
  • We offer discounts on laboratory tests and other products.