[Sunraysia Daily, Mon 02 Aug 2010, p. 6] -- THE State Government must take decisive action to save Victoria’s honey bee industry, Opposition agriculture spokesman Peter Walsh said yesterday. Mr Walsh said the honey industry was being threatened by the invasion of blanket and carpet weed. "The spread of carpet weed is having a shocking impact on honey production, particularly around corio and Geelong, while blanket weed is affecting beekeepers in Victoria’s north-east," Mr Walsh said.
"The pollen produced by these weeds is very attractive to honeybees but the honey it produces is dark, bitter and unsaleable.
"Apiarists around the state will be affected if the rapid spread of these weeds is not brought under control and Australia’s status as an exporter of premium light honey could be downgraded." Mr Walsh said the government should declare the weeds noxious and immediately develop a control plan.
"The State Government has taken Peter Walsh no decisive action to control these weeds, despite the establishment of the Noxious Weed Review Committee in 2004.
"In some areas VicRoads is reportedly planting blanket weed on road verges to control erosion and the weed is rapidly spreading across public and private land."
Article: WeedsNews741 (permalink) Date: 6 August 2010; 11:01:49 AM AEST