Welsh Minister for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths has visited an award-winning honey producer in Builth Wells to mark and celebrate World Bee Day, which takes place today (Friday, May 20).
Designated by the United Nations, World Bee Day was established to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators to sustainable development, food security and biodiversity.
“Bees are crucial to our ecosystem and World Bee Day, which has been growing year on year, has helped bring them to the forefront,” said Griffiths.
Griffiths visited the Bee Welsh Honey Company, which was established by Shane Llewelyn Jones in 2017. Shane started keeping bees aged 12 and has gradually built a business over 30 years.
The company specialises in unpasteurised Welsh honey and currently runs around 200 production lives placed throughout mid Wales and the borders, and has won several awards.
Shane is a member of the Honey Cluster, a Welsh Government business development programme aimed at raising the profile and production of Welsh honey.
The Cluster brings together bee farmers who produce 100% Welsh honey and have ambitions to grow.
Commenting on her visit, Griffiths said:
“It has been great to meet Shane and learn more about the work taking place at the Bee Welsh Honey Company.”
Shane Llewelyn Jones at the Bee Welsh Honey company added:
“I am grateful for the Welsh Government highlighting World Bee Day, which in turn helps highlight difficulties for honey bees and pollinators through Wales and the world.
“By supporting World Bee Day, it puts a spotlight on Welsh honey producers, who produce some of the best quality honey in the world, from lowland clover, to upland heather.”
