A next-generation upgrade of the world-leading BeeConnected app has been launched at Parliament House by Regional Development Minister Kristy McBain at Parliament House.
The two-way communication platform, developed by CropLife Australia in partnership with the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, enables farmers, beekeepers and spray contractors to work together to mitigate accidental exposure to crop protection products and optimise pollination activities for Australian agriculture.
Australia is fortunate to have excellent farming practices, a professional agricultural sector alongside a strong honey bee industry.
A 2023 report by Deloitte Access Economics calculated 73 per cent of Australian agricultural crop production can be attributed to the use of crop protection pesticide products.
At the same time, around 65 per cent of the crop species grown in Australia benefit from pollination.
When used responsibly and in accordance with approved label instructions, crop protection products do not pose a risk to honey bee health, which is why best practice in farming is so important.
With Varroa mite now here to stay in Australia, vigilance is more important than ever.
BeeConnected is a practical way for Australian farmers to support the honey bee industry by not only avoiding unintentional harm but optimising pollination activities.
Using precise GPS capabilities, BeeConnected allows farmers to map the circumference of their properties and log their spray activities.
It also allows beekeepers to securely register the location of their beehives now and in the future.
When a beehive is detected near farming activities, both are sent an instant confidential notification allowing them to communicate and coordinate for optimal pollination without compromising or identifying specific locations.
The BeeConnected app was originally developed in Australia for Australia.
During the past nine years it has had widespread uptake with all of Australia’s state farmer organisations supporting its use it as an important decision-making tool in day-to-day operations and spray activities.
The newly upgraded BeeConnected app incorporates extensive feedback and contributions from those farming and apiarist industries using the app.
BeeConnected is now also an international award-winning innovation which has been adopted for use all over the world including Canada, South America, and India.
Adoption of the tool is a best practice recommendation in industry codes of practice and extension resources and should be embraced by retailers and the broader agriculture industry.
Australian farmers are proactive when it comes to the adoption of new tools and next-generation technologies to help them farm more productively and sustainably.
Just like weather, temperature and timeliness of information plays an important role in informed decision making for best-practice product application, spray applicators
are urged to make use of this reliable tool to protect Australia’s managed beehive colonies with spraying this season.
BeeConnected is part of CropLife’s StewardshipFirst Pollinator Protection Initiative which supports the safe and responsible use of pesticides for the benefits of pollinators, Australian farming and the environment. BeeConnected can be downloaded for free as an iPhone or Android App, or accessed on a desktop computer via a web browser. For more information, visit www.beeconnected.org.au
