Diana meets local beekeepers

9.00.10am GMT Wed 10th Sep 2008

Local Liberal Democrat Euro MP, Diana Wallis has been able to help the area's beekeepers after they contacted her to express concerns over the treatment of the disease varroa in bees. Since 1982, the use of veterinary medicines has been regulated at EU level. Beekeepers can administer products already authorised for use in bees.

The problem concerns who is allowed to authorise new products for the use in bees - vets only or beekeepers, too?

Diana Wallis MEP alerted the European Commission to the problem and UK officials are now negotiating on the beekeepers' behalf so that it won't be just vets who will be allowed to authorise the use of certain products.

On Saturday, Diana met the Chairman of the Harrogate and Ripon Association of Beekeepers, Mike Rowbottom, at RHS Harlow Carr.

Mike Rowbottom said he was 'delighted by the help Diana Wallis and her office had given on this issue'.

Diana Wallis said:

"It is good to be able to help in matters such as these. It is important that we are alerted early enough in the process so that things are not cast in stone and we can respond to local concern."

Note: Varroa is a genus of parasitic mites associated with honey bees.

(Photo shows Diana Wallis MEP with Mike Rowbottom, Chairman of the Harrogate and Ripon Association of Beekeepers, at the Observation Hive in RHS Harlow Carr)