THE EIGHTH WORLD BEE DAY – UNFAIR COMPETITION FROM FAKE HONEY THREATENS BEEKEEPING AND, ABOVE ALL, MISLEADS CONSUMERS!
World Bee Day was declared by the United Nations in New York on December 20, 2017, following a 2014 initiative by the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association and with great effort from the whole of Slovenia, receiving unanimous support from the global political community. The first celebration was held on May 20, 2018, in Žirovnica, the birthplace of Anton Janša—May 20 is his birthday and the date on which we celebrate World Bee Day. The goal of World Bee Day is to protect bees and other pollinators.
As the initiator of World Bee Day, am I satisfied?
In terms of promotional efforts, I am more than satisfied — beyond expectations. But when it comes to supporting beekeepers and protecting consumers, I am definitely not!
Unfortunately, the world is barely—if at all—aware that bees can no longer survive without the help of beekeepers. Without bees and other pollinators, there would be even more HUNGRY people in the world!
That is why it is high time to support beekeepers. Beekeepers are losing the motivation to continue, and if they begin to abandon beekeeping, we are facing a catastrophe in the very near future. There will simply be fewer bees each year, and as a result, the free pollination service they provide will disappear—something that will have a serious impact on food production… So, Europe—it’s now or never! This is about bees, beekeepers, and consumers!
First and foremost, fake, counterfeit honey must be immediately removed from the market. It is essential that Europe adopts concrete measures to support beekeepers and protect consumers in this matter before the year is out. Until concrete long-term measures are adopted, Europe should, in the meantime, ban the import of honey from those countries that are most problematic in terms of counterfeit honey. Control over honey must be GUARANTEED at entry points into Europe, as this honey can under no circumstances reach store shelves. This must be done to protect consumers so they can still enjoy real honey—honey that strengthens their health—and not “fake” honey, which can even be harmful to our health.
Europe must also urgently and immediately ensure direct payments for each beehive through agricultural and environmental measures as compensation for the free pollination service provided by bees. This year alone, approximately 50% of bee colonies in Europe died over the winter, and without immediate financial support to beekeepers for hive management, we face a catastrophe both in food production and in preserving biodiversity! Importing honey is possible (fake honey), but pollination simply cannot be imported!
On this year’s World Bee Day, I wish for clear and definite protection of consumers and support for beekeepers. Europeans do not deserve to enjoy honey that isn’t really honey and therefore should not be labeled as honey at all. Let’s not forget: “A spoonful of real honey a day keeps the doctor away!” There is no food security in Europe without bees! Immediate support for beekeepers is essential to preserve the bees and, with them, the pollination service they provide!
I thank all beekeepers for continuing to engage in beekeeping during these difficult times, for caring for the production of high-quality bee products, for maintaining the pollination service of bees, and consequently for supporting the production of more than one-third of the world’s food.
Special thanks go to everyone who helps beekeepers preserve bees by planting nectar-producing plants, by using harmful FFS products only when absolutely necessary and correctly, and by deciding to buy bee products from local beekeepers, thereby ensuring the best bee products that strengthen your health!
Let us be aware that the one playing the leading role in everything is the bee — the bee, we say — and once again, we say it: the bee! Without the bee, there are no bee products; without the bee, there is no pollination; without the bee, there is no food production — and also, UNFORTUNATELY, without beekeepers, there will be no bees.
Boštjan Noč
President of the European Beekeeping Association
President of the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association