The Hazel and Arthur Bruce Bequest funding, helping The Wheen Bee Foundation support the welfare of bees

Australia’s bee population produces more than 4,500 tonnes of honey for export every year, but their activities have an even bigger impact on our local food ecosystem.

They pollinate one in every three mouthfuls of food we eat, as well as farm livestock, which significantly increases both the yield and quality of crops. However, bee populations are under threat due to destruction of their natural habitat, intensive farming practices, as well as pests and diseases.

Funding from The Hazel and Arthur Bruce Bequest is helping The Wheen Bee Foundation to reverse this decline by bringing together a connected and holistic community movement that is changing farming practices. 

“What started as a seed of an idea has now become a real program with scale and is continuing to grow and create real impact,” Wheen Bee Foundation CEO Fiona Chambers, said. “Supporting the welfare of bees is having a profound impact on our native ecosystem and agricultural food chains.”

The Wheen Bee Foundation’s Bee Friendly Farming Australia program was launched in May 2021 and in just 16 months has certified over 35,000 ha of farmland across six states spanning multiple industries including almonds, apples, avocado, macadamia, grazing (sheep, beef, dairy) vineyards and nursery production.

Read more stories like these in our 2022 Annual Giving Review or find out more about philanthropy here