Guy Barnett,Minister for Primary Industries and Water
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is delivering support for Tasmania's honey bee industry with the launch of a pollination small grants program.
The $90,000 program aims to support innovative projects that will increase the availability and viability of pollination services in Tasmania.
This program is part of the Government's 2018-19 commitment of $750,000 over three years to implement the Tasmanian Bee Industry Futures Report.
To help maintain Tasmania's reputation for producing high-quality products, including honey, the Government is also providing $20,000 to establish a 'Honey Library'.
Tasmania's beekeeping industry is recognised for its leatherwood honey but it also produces a range of other varieties, including Manuka, prickly box, clover and gum.
In addition, the honey bee industry provides a vital pollination service for many of the State's agricultural and horticultural crops.
The Tasmanian Government has a target to grow the annual farm-gate value of agriculture to $10 billion by 2050 and to help achieve this growth an expansion of viable pollination services is essential for many pollination-dependant crops.
The Tasmanian Honey Assurance System is an integrated traceability system for honey produced in Tasmania.
It is being created through a partnership with the Tasmanian Beekeepers Association, the University of Tasmania with matching funding from the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Honey Bee Products.