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More and more people encounter food only in its processed form. Grains are perceived as flour from the shelf, meat as nice packages. The milk is made into cartons, plastic, or glass bottles.
A fast lifestyle and an overflow of information fool us in an interesting way. We live on the surface, we have little desire and time to get to know each other, and we miss the essence of things.
Honey from the shelf for a bargain price. If you are not a beekeeper, it does not occur to you that it is almost impossible to get it for such a low price from bees.
Do you wonder why your honey is transparent, still not crystallized for the third year running and pancakes are covered beautifully with it? The fact that it is a dead sugar solution with a little boiled honey is absent from the label. This laboratory syrup did not support pollination, beekeepers or nature and should therefore, not be referred to as ‘honey’.
The fact is, that the honey is fake, and what is worse, it’s mass-produced. What are the reasons and consequences? That is why we have invited an international group of experts who will take a closer look into counterfeit honey with us!
This, and much more we’d like to discuss, will take place at the international conference titled "Honey Fraud Industry" at the Bratislava NH Gate One congress Hotel, November 8, 2020. Join the live broadcast!
PURCHASE ACCESS!Words from BeeConf member
Svetozar Ruzicka
The word "Bee", to us is an inspiration and a path to save humanity. Bees are strongly affected by the ever increasing climate change, droughts, pesticides and other chemicals. As beings, bees are tied to their environment. They can only be as healthy as their environment allows them to be, and humans are tied in this cycle too. If we protect the bees and their world, we are protecting our own world and its future.
We are in this together!
Researcher & Apimondia President
Dr. Jeff Pettis US
Researcher & Apimondia President
Dr. Jeff Pettis is a researcher and current Apimondia President. His research of the honeybee behavior, physiology, pathology and host-parasite relationships make Dr. Pettis an excellent expert presenting the impact of Insecticides, Fungicides and Rodenticides on honeybees. His knowledge of, and experience with, the beekeeping industry provides a rare opportunity to analyze and assess risk in the environment, and determine a positive course of action for honeybees, our environment, and our food production systems around the globe.
President of the Apimondia Commission "Beekeeping Technology and Quality"
Ir. Étienne Bruneau BE
President of the Apimondia Commission "Beekeeping Technology and Quality"
Ir. Étienne Bruneau is a President of the Apimondia Commission "Beekeeping Technology and Quality", a Chairman of the Working Party “Honey” of COPA-COGECA (includes the European Union of Beekeepers), and a President of the Scientific Commission Beekeeping Technology and Quality of Apimondia. He is a founder (1983) and the Managing Director of CARI (Belgian beekeeping center for research and information) and Editor of the beekeeping journal “Abeilles & Cie”. He also administer of Bee Life – European coordination on pesticide and environment of bees. Étienne Burneau is also active in training in beekeeping, organization and design of many events and campaigns. He is a Member of the International Honey Commission.
Head of the Laboratory of Apidology and Apitherapy at the Institute of Molecular Biology Slovak Academy of Scieces
Dr. Juraj Majtan SK
Head of the Laboratory of Apidology and Apitherapy at the Institute of Molecular Biology Slovak Academy of Scieces
Juraj Majtan is the head of the Laboratory of Apidology and Apitherapy at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) Slovak Academy of Scieces (SAS). He began his professional career in science by starting his doctoral studies in biochemistry at the Institute of Chemistry of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. After a successful defense, he completed two study stays abroad at the Center for Ecology and Hydrology NERC (Oxford, UK) and the School of Medicine University of Southampton (Southampton, UK). In 2009 he joined the Institute of Zoology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences as an independent researcher. Since 2016 he has been working as a researcher at IMB SAS. He received the Štefan Schwarz Support Fund for his achievements in basic, as well as applied research. In 2010, he received the "Early Career Researcher" award from Cardiff University (Cardiff, UK). In 2019 he defended his doctoral thesis in the field of microbiology. He works as a lecturer at the Slovak Association of Beekeepers and is the founder of the Slovak Apitherapeutic Society. In addition to scientific publishing activities, he is also involved in popularization activities; for which he was awarded the SAS Prize for Scientific-Popularization Activities in 2018. Founder of the "Honey Laboratory" project.
Professor of Apiculture
Prof. Norberto Luis Garcia ARG
Professor of Apiculture
Prof. García has worked intensely during the recent years creating awareness on the problem of honey fraud through many presentations in international meetings, interviews, and publications in specialized journals. He is a former professional beekeeper and worked for many years as technical advisor of many beekeeping operations in Argentina. In 2004, he became Senior Advisor of NEXCO S.A., the main Argentine honey export company, and presides the International Honey Exporters Organization (IHEO). He is professor of Apiculture at the Universidad Nacional del Sur in Bahía Blanca, Argentina and, since 2017, he is President of the APIMONDIA Scientific Commission on Beekeeping Economy. At APIMONDIA, he also chairs the Working Group on Adulteration of Bee Products, in charge of the preparation and updating of the “APIMONDIA Statement on Honey Fraud”. Since 2018, Prof. García chairs the U.S. Pharmacopeia´s Expert Panel on “Honey Quality and Authenticity”.
Dr. Jeff Pettis
Researcher & Apimondia PresidentWhy do we protect honey?
Read moreWhy do we protect honey?
We are at a crossroads of perception, what is honey? The free interpretation of the definition of honey has led to a frequent shift of this exceptional food containing hundreds of delicate substances to overheated honey-mixed sugary syrup. If we protect honey, we also protect beekeepers, nature and consumers.
Ir. Étienne Bruneau
President of the Apimondia Commission "Beekeeping Technology and Quality"Honey fraud Industry
Read moreHoney fraud Industry
How is honey forged and why is it possible? Did you know that there are technological processes for the production of "quick honey"? How big is the current honey market and what drives it?
Dr. Juraj Majtan
Head of the Laboratory of Apidology and Apitherapy at the Institute of Molecular Biology Slovak Academy of SciecesQualities of raw honey
Read moreQualities of raw honey
What are "living" molecules? Do you wonder what the biological value of food is and how to understand the biochemistry of honey? What are the properties of natural raw honey? How does the technology of processing and storage of honey affect its biological value and its properties?
Prof. Norberto Luis Garcia
Professor of ApicultureCombating Honey Fraud
Read moreCombating Honey Fraud
The international phenomenon of honey fraud in this modern era has resulted in the largest economic losses that have been suffered by the beekeepers of the world. Furthermore, this fraud has put in jeopardy hundreds of billions of dollars of annual agricultural production, threatening global food security and global ecological sustainability. An estimation of the direct economic loss suffered by the honey exporting countries of the Americas due to the fall of the international prices of honey will be presented. Similar studies of the economic losses throughout the international community of beekeepers should also commence. Recent and current international efforts to combat honey fraud will also be described.
Our last sustainable beekeeping conference was a great success, with over 250 interested attendees. This time we’re aiming even higher, and including attendees from all over the world with the addition of our live-streaming option.
We can’t wait to discuss new findings, techniques, and innovations with our fellow beekeepers.
BeeConf 7th of March, 2020
Stanislav Jaš, Speaker
Dear fellow beekeepers and friends of bees and real honey, it was a real pleasure to take part and contribute to the success of the conference.
Etienne Calais, Speaker
I would like to thank you warmly for your invitation to this very interesting conference day.
Pavla Králová, Attendee
I would like to thank you for organizing this event. It was impossible to fall asleep after arriving home. My brain couldn't even process all the information and experiences presented during the conference. The event was absolutely perfect in all respects, everything showed a high level of professionalism.
Marie Šotolová, Attendee
Dear organisers, please allow me to thank you for a great conference in Bratislava. Expertise, venue, organization - everything was just top-notch.
Miroslav Kovacik, Attendee
It was simply great, in terms of social, professional, and information as well as media coverage. The lectures were dynamic, the presentations were interesting and the topics are most important. Also, in terms of moderation and interpretation, everything was perfect. Why am I highlighting it like this? In my field, it's common for these events to be dry and boring, and that is why I am glad that you have also reached beekeeping lectures at such a high level. Not to mention how good and comfortable I felt there, „like in heaven“.
Juraj Babala, Attendee
I express my admiration and great praise for your enormous efforts to take traditional beekeeping to such a high level. You also offered great wine, and the moderators created a great atmosphere. I stayed until the "very end of the day" and it was amazing. I received a lot of new stimulating information. I'm excited about the Varroa Controller again.
Mgr. Richard Rischer, Attendee
Thank you for the opportunity to attend such an amazing conference as you organized on Saturday. I have a feeling that we don't have to worry so much about the future of our bees when all your team will continue your work in the future. I saw several participants that they were prepared for a significantly lower level and were literally surprised how professional you organized everything on that day.
BeeConf 7th of March, 2020
From a humble idea, and a balcony in an apartment building, to the rooftop apiary of the Congress Hotel Gate One. The hotel’s beekeeping co-owner, Rastilav Pavlisin, started beekeeping in 2018, when he met his mentor, Svetozar Ruzicka. Under Svetozar’s guidance, Rastislav opened the bee hotel; and went on to win two gold medals in the Apislavia International Beekeepers’ Competition in Moscow.
Following their early success, the duo started searching for chemical-free beekeeping methods, and met Helena Prokova. One of the bee’s greatest threats is the Varroa Destructor. A parasitic mite which attacks and feeds on honeybees, causing diseases. Helena was very experienced with dealing with these dangerous mites without the use of powerful chemicals. Her method of choice is hypothermia, which allows for beekeeping products to be of higher quality and value. Thanks to this method, Rastislav’s honey went on to win the silver medal in Apimondia 2019 in Canada.
In March of 2020, the trio decided to host their first beekeeping conference: “The Future of European Beekeeping”. After the success of this event, the trio dubbed the Gate One as ‘The First Bee Hotel in Bratislava’’. With your help, this hotel can become a place for the best beekeepers in the world to share their knowledge, inspiration, and experience with the worldwide community of beekeepers.
Let us create a more beautiful world, with happier bees and beekeepers!
