Bee Health Improvement Partnership (BHIP)

Overview

This partnership was established following the publication of the Honey Bee Health Strategy.

It aims to work in partnership to achieve a healthy and sustainable population of honey bees in Scotland.

The strategy focuses on:

education, training and knowledge transfer
communication and partnership working across government, operational partners, stakeholders and all of those with an interest in honey bees in Scotland
pest and disease surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and control
research and development
on-going review of the regulatory framework

The BHIP is responsible for the delivery and implementation of the Honey Bee Health Strategy. It meets around four times a year, with a fifth meeting at the end of the year to review the strategy, the actions of the previous year and agree future direction.

Members

The BHIP is made up of representatives from:

Animal Health and Welfare Division’s Honey Bee Health Policy Team Scottish Government, core member, Chair and Secretariat functions
Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) Scottish Government, Core member, Deputy Chair function
Rural Payments and Inspections Division, Scottish Government, core member
Scottish Beekeepers Association (SBA), stakeholder, core member
Bee Farmers Association (BFA), stakeholder, core member
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Operational Partner, core member
Scottish Native Honey Bee Society (SNHBS), Stakeholder, core member
NatureScot, Scottish Government, optional member
Animal and Plant Health Agency, National Bee Unit (NBU), Operational Partner, observer
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Bee Health Policy, Devolved Administrations, observer
Welsh Government, Devolved Administrations, observer
DAERA Northern Ireland, Devolved Administrations, observer