Pollination Survey
Pollination Survey - 2008
Lucerne Australia first completed a pollination survey with members in 2008. There were 30 respondents and the questions were as follows:
- Do you have an apiarist stocking bees on your farm?
- Do you run bees on dryland lucerne? What is the stocking rate of hives per HECTARE?
- Do you run bees on irrigated lucerne? What is the stocking rate of hives per HECTARE?
- Would your apiarist be open to higher stocking rates?
- What are your approximate hectares of lucerne seed production?
- What is the current price you are paying per hive (Dryland)?
- What is the current price you are paying per hive (Irrigation)?
- Do you consider your apiarist to have good hive strength?
Pollination Survey - 2014
Following feedback from grower members, Lucerne Australia completed a second survey in February and March 2014. The questions included:
- Which region do you live?
- Do you have an apiarist stocking bees on your farm?
- Do you run bees on dryland lucerne? What is the stocking rate of hives per HECTARE?
- Do you run bees on irrigated lucerne? What is the stocking rate of hives per HECTARE?
- What are your approximate hectares of lucerne seed production?
- What is the current price you are paying per hive (Dryland)?
- What is the current price you are paying per hive (Irrigation)?
- Has your bee keeper raised their price per hive within the last 12 months?
- Do you consider your apiarist to have good hive strength?
- Do you ask (or recieve) an AFB test for your bees?
- Would your apiarist be open to higher stocking rates?
- Finally, how do you describe working with your bee keeper?
The 2014 survey was completed by telephone interview, whereas in 2008 responses were received by fax or email by a dedicated form which grower members completed.
A full report (click here) outlines the results of the latest (2014) pollination survey, which includes 34 grower member respondents. It also compares these results with the data analysed in 2008. A summary of the results are shown below.
Results from the 2014 Survey
- 88% of those surveyed use an apiarist on their property for pollination services.
- The average stocking rate for bees on dryland lucerne is 1.23 hives per hectare.
- The average stocking rate for bees on irrigated lucerne is 2.44 hives per hectare.
- 65% of those surveyed manage more than 100 hectares of lucerne seed production.
- 55% of those surveyed with dryland, pay no fee for pollination.
- 47% of those surveyed with irrigated lucerne pay no hive fee for pollination.
- Those surveyed in Naracoorte and Bordertown pay the highest rates for pollination.
- 71% of respondents believe that their apiarist has “strong” hive strength.
80% of respondents describe working with their beekeeper as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.