Varroa mite impact on beekeepers, agriculture, to be raised at public forum on Friday

Anyone concerned about the approach taken to control the mite - and the devastating effect it has had on the farming and beekeeping industries - is encouraged to attend the forum on Friday, October 21.

"This meeting is to give people a voice. We want everyone in the community to come to this," Earth Market Maitland chairwoman Amorelle Dempster said.

"We're serious about this, this is affecting people's livelihoods, the consumer should be really upset because the price of food produced here will go up."

In other news:

Ms Dempster said about 200 restaurants who bought produce from Hunter farms would be affected as would shoppers at the twice-monthly earth market.

"Matt [Dennis of Nebo Farm in East Maitland] said to me should I pull my pumpkins and squashes out and not worry about them. It's devastating, it's heartbreaking. We can't have that happening," Ms Dempster said.

"Matt is one of the farmers who supplies produce to restaurants. This issue is far bigger than just the beekeepers, it affects all kinds of farmers and it is affecting the community."

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson will hold the forum at her office in Raymond Terrace on Friday at 10am.

Related: Farmer slams mass bee kill

The meeting comes after Ms Dempster met with her about the issue in early September and then challenged her to do more a few weeks later.

Ms Swanson has been meeting with affected beekeepers and visiting their properties.

Anyone interested in attending the forum must register their attendance by texting Amorelle on 0427 548 886 or sending a message to the Earth Market Maitland Facebook page.