The Victorian Apiarists’ Association (VAA) invites members to provide feedback on the proposed changes to the Australian honey levy, which is currently under review by the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC).

The proposed reform aims to modernise the existing levy arrangements and, importantly, expand the levy base to include beekeepers providing pollination services, rather than relying predominantly on honey production as the basis for industry contributions.

While the proposed changes are likely to have the greatest direct commercial impact on commercial beekeepers, we welcome feedback from all interested VAA members, including recreational beekeepers and those involved in other parts of the industry.

Background and history of the honey levy

The Australian honey levy has a long history, dating back to the early 1960s. It was introduced to provide a mechanism for the industry to contribute to activities that support the honey and beekeeping sectors. Over time, the levy arrangements have evolved to support research and development, biosecurity preparedness and response, and honey residue testing. The levy structure was revised in 2015 to strengthen biosecurity funding arrangements and align the industry's biosecurity obligations with those of other agricultural industries.

More recently, from 1 July 2025, the total honey levy increased from 4.6 cents to 5.6 cents per kilogram. This change included additional funding arrangements related to the industry's contribution to the national response to Varroa destructor.

Current honey levy arrangements

Under the current system, the levy is primarily linked to the production and sale of honey, rather than the broader economic value of the services provided by managed honey bee colonies.

The key arrangements are:

- Current rate: 5.6 cents per kilogram of honey produced in Australia and sold, or used in the production of other goods.
- Threshold: A levy exemption applies where a producer sells honey by retail sale, or uses honey in the production of other goods, totalling 1,500 kilograms or less in a calendar year, subject to the applicable rules.
- Research and development: Funding supports research relevant to the honey bee industry.
- Biosecurity: Levy revenue contributes to biosecurity preparedness and activities, as well as relevant emergency response funding.
- Residue testing: A component supports the National Residue Survey.
- Administration: The levy is collected under the Australian Government's agricultural levy framework, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

Further information is available from the DAFF honey levy information page (https://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/levies/rates/honey) and the AHBIC industry levies page (https://honeybee.org.au/industry-hub/industrylevies/).

What is being proposed?

The AHBIC levy review has identified that the existing system relies heavily on honey production, despite the industry's broader contribution to Australian agriculture through pollination services and other beekeeping activities.

The proposed reform would broaden the levy base to recognise additional industry activities, particularly:

- Pollination services: Including commercial beekeepers who provide pollination services to horticultural and agricultural producers but may derive a significant proportion of their income from pollination rather than honey sales.
- A broader contribution base: Ensuring that the funding model better reflects the range of commercial activities undertaken within the honey bee industry.
- A revised levy structure: The AHBIC subcommittee's published recommendations include moving from a fixed levy per kilogram to a percentage-based levy of 1.25% of value at the first point of sale, broadening the base to include honey, queen bees and pollination services, and reducing the honey production threshold to 1,000 kilograms per year.

These are proposed changes and should not be taken as a final or approved levy arrangement. The precise application, calculation methods, collection arrangements, and financial implications for different types of beekeeping businesses will be important considerations.

Invitation for member feedback

The VAA Board considers it important that members have an opportunity to understand the proposal and provide their views before the industry progresses further discussions on the proposed changes.

Members are invited to consider the following questions when providing feedback:

- Do you support expanding the levy arrangements to include commercial pollination services?
- Do you consider the proposed levy structure fair and equitable across honey producers, commercial pollinators and other beekeeping businesses?
- What impact could the proposed changes have on your business, including operating costs, cash flow, competitiveness and the ability to provide pollination services?
- Are there alternative approaches to calculating or collecting the levy that should be considered?
- Are there particular exemptions, thresholds or safeguards that should be included?
- What changes or additional information would you like AHBIC to consider before finalising its recommendations?

We particularly encourage commercial beekeepers to provide practical examples of how the proposed arrangements could affect their operations. However, all VAA members and other interested parties are welcome to provide feedback, regardless of the scale or nature of their beekeeping activities.

Please send your comments and suggestions to the VAA at [insert email address] by [insert closing date]. Where possible, please distinguish between general comments on the principle of reform and specific recommendations on how the levy should be structured.

The feedback received will help inform the VAA's consideration of the proposal and any industry discussions or submissions that may follow.

Thank you for taking the time to contribute to this important discussion. A sustainable funding model is important for the future of our industry, and it is essential that any changes properly consider the diversity of beekeeping businesses and the role they play in supporting Australian agriculture.