DECA

Disease Elimination Conformity Agreement

How a

DECA works

Beekeepers with a DECA have entered into a voluntary agreement with NZ Bee Health & Biosecurity (NZBB) under the AFB NPMP to effectively eliminate AFB from their colonies using best practices.

The DECA is a formal agreement between NZ Bee Health & Biosecurity (NZBB) and the owner of beehives, where the beekeeper agrees to adhere to the “code of beekeeping practices” specified in the agreement for ensuring the incidence of AFB in hives will reduce to the lowest possible level.  It means a beekeeper has to expend more effort in inspecting their hives, being able to confidently identify AFB, report it and destroy it within 7 days, keep really good records, traceability and quarantining systems. 

The purpose of a DECA is also to ensure that should AFB arrive in a DECA holder’s operation, it is identified early through regular inspections and timely destruction; before it spreads further within the beekeeper’s own operation and neighbouring beehives. 

A beekeeper holding a DECA is not exempt from NZBB’s Authorised Person inspections.    

To be eligible to obtain a DECA, registered beekeepers must:

  • Pass The NZBB AFB Recognition Course assessment.

  • Be fully compliant with all rules of the AFB NPMP for a minimum of 12 months.

  • Have completed and submitted a Certificate of Inspection (COI) by 15 December within those 12 months.

Entering into a DECA with NZBB is a commitment to eliminate AFB from your colonies, using the AFB elimination practices and procedures specified in the agreement to do so. In recognition of this commitment, NZBB grants DECA holders a Certificate of Inspection Exemption (DECA holders are exempt from the COI requirements of the AFB NPMP). Note that DECA holders can be inspected by NZBB as part of surveillance and to monitor compliance with their DECA.

Many DECA holders choose to support AFB elimination further by conducting inspections for other beekeepers as part of the annual COI requirement of the AFB NPMP. They are qualified to do this as a certified DECA-accredited beekeeper who has held a DECA for at least 12 months.

Together, we can eliminate AFB from managed beekeeping operations and a DECA commitment is an important step toward the beekeeping community banding together against the disease.

For further info on the DECA process, click here. 

If you’re interested in joining our list of certified DECA-accredited beekeepers, please contact us on 0800 232 767 or info@nzbb.org.nz

A DECA is a living document and must be reviewed regularly to reflect your current AFB management practices.

How to

apply for a DECA

Click the ‘Apply for a DECA’ button on your HiveHub home page. This button is enabled after you have been a registered beekeeper for a minimum of 12 months.

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If you have any trouble with this button, please contact us or complete this form for hobbyist beekeepers and this form for commercial beekeepers. Either post your form back to us or email it to apiary@nzbb.org.nz 

Keeping your

knowledge fresh

DECA holders are encouraged to attend an AFB Recognition Refresher Course (available in-person or online). This ensures that you’re up to date with the signs and symptoms of AFB and equipped to support other beekeepers with their COI inspections, should you choose to.

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AFB Courses

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DECA

cancellations

Reasons for DECA cancellation

NZ Bee Health & Biosecurity regularly monitors DECA holder compliance. If a beekeeping operation has been classed as High Risk’ and multiple non-compliances are identified, then The Management Agency will revoke the DECA. Refer to page 12 (3.11.3 Cancellation of Disease Elimination Conformity Agreement by Management Agency) of the Operational Plan.

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 A beekeeping operation is classified as High Risk if inspection of their beehives by an authorised person confirms clinical AFB in greater than, or equal to, 10% of a beekeeper’s hives and at least three AFB cases are detected. Such operations pose a high risk of AFB to the hives owned by neighbouring beekeepers.

Other reasons for revoking DECAs include:

  1. Failure to comply with a s122 Notice of Direction issued by an Authorised Person.

  2. Reasonable suspicion of a DECA holder making a false statement on another beekeeper’s Certificate of Inspection.

  3. Three or more separate breaches of the DECA within a 12-month period. This includes non-compliance with the AFB NPMP rules.

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See page 12 (3.11.3 Cancellation of Disease Elimination Conformity Agreement by Management Agency) of the Operational Plan.

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How do I get my DECA back?

If you fail to uphold your DECA requirements, the DECA will be revoked by NZ Bee Health & Biosecurity. You can follow this pathway to return to effective AFB elimination and work your way toward obtaining another DECA.

We are here to support beekeepers in their fight against AFB.

DECA

review project

The DECA and its process are currently under review as a priority of the AFB NPMP Change Programme. 

Objectives of the DECA Review Project.

  • Ensure practices and procedures set out in the DECA are sufficient to eliminate AFB from all beehives owned by the beekeeper.

  • Provide clarity on NZ Bee Health & Biosecurity’s decision-making process to amend or cancel a DECA.

  • Monitor the performance of DECA implementation by beekeepers through regular audits based on AFB risk factors.

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AFB NPMP Change Programme

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