Who Will Join The Next Generation Of Beekeepers?

Mossop’s Honey and Apiculture New Zealand are looking for the next Ron Mossop Youth Scholarship recipient to get a boost into the apiculture industry.

The scholarship was set up five years ago as a way of giving young people the best possible start in the apiculture industry. It includes $2000 to be put towards best-practice training or set-up costs, membership of industry body Apiculture New Zealand for a year, attendance at the industry’s national conference in the year of the award and an accommodation allowance for Conference.

Last year’s recipient, Alyssa Wilson from Canterbury, is currently finishing off a Primary ITO course the scholarship helped pay for. The course involves writing about and photographing her practical experience working at Gowanleagold with beekeeper James Corson, where she says she is “learning heaps”.

While attending the Apiculture New Zealand Conference in Christchurch this year, Alyssa says she particularly enjoyed listening to Dr Sammy Ramsey, one of the international speakers from the United States.

Alyssa encourages other young people to consider beekeeping as a career option.

“Go for it, even if it doesn’t seem like you, just have a go,” she says, “it’s still an awesome experience”.

Alyssa says the scholarship has helped her get a qualification under her belt and advises other young beekeepers or young people interested in a career in apiculture to apply for the scholarship.

“I really did not think there was any chance I would get it, but I thought there was no point not applying for it.”

The scholarship is named after industry pioneer, Ron Mossop, who started his family beekeeping businesses in the 1940s. His business was built on values of quality and integrity, which remain at the heart of Mossop’s Honey today.

Neil Mossop said his family were thrilled to continue to support the next generation of beekeepers through the scholarship. “Mossop’s Honey is committed to best-practice beekeeping and the highest levels of integrity throughout our business. It is a privilege to be able to pass on those values to young beekeepers. We see the scholarship as a wonderful tribute to my father, who instilled those values in his family and business.”

Applications for the scholarship close on Friday 28 October 2022. For more information and how to apply, go to https://apinz.org.nz/scholarship-in-beekeeping/

© Scoop Media