What is DASH?
In 2013, the National Bee Unit (NBU) and The Bee Farmers’ Association Ltd (BFA) collaborated to develop DASH – the Disease Assurance Scheme for Honey bees. The aim of DASH is to:
- reduce the costs associated with disease within commercial beekeeping operations,
- improve the health of honey bees within the operation, and
- reduce the regulatory burden in the form of inspection visits.
DASH is recognised within the Defra Farming Regulation Task Force Implementation – Earned Recognition Plan August 2013. DASH is only eligible to those in the Bee Farming industry and those members that successfully complete the scheme will receive greater autonomy and fewer inspections by Bee Inspectors.
This will not necessarily mean a reduction in the total number of inspections but gives an opportunity to improve targeting inspections to those close to disease. Benefits of being a DASH member include, a close working relationship and training with the NBU, equipment including Lateral Flow foulbrood diagnostic kits (LFDs) and less regulatory burden in the form of inspection visits following the initial full audit.
Who is eligible for DASH?
To be eligible to join the DASH, Bee Farmers wishing to join the scheme must:
- manage bees using a high level of biosecurity to minimise the spread of disease,
- manage a minimum of 150 colonies,
- be active, full members of the BFA,
- be registered on BeeBase, and
- not have a business-model that involves managing others’ bees.
The DASH accreditation process
Bee farmers wishing to join the scheme will make an application via the BFA, usually following a request in the Bee Farmer magazine. Prospective DASH candidates are invited to answer an online questionnaire which the BFA reviews. The BFA forward applications meeting agreed criteria to the National Bee Unit (NBU).
Accreditation is in three stages: assessing your eligibility, training and assessment of your competence to recognise and manage disease and a baseline inspection of all your colonies. All three stages must be completed before full membership status is conferred. Following training, an assessment and a full audit of all colonies, admission to the scheme is at the discretion of the NBU.
DASH obligations
All DASH members are expected to update their apiary sites and colony numbers on BeeBase and are required to self-report any disease findings to the NBU as outlined in the DASH handbook. Copies of this and the Bee Farmer Self Inspection Form are available by emailing [email protected].
DASH members must keep records tracing colony movements, together with veterinary medicine records.
DASH members cannot advertise or assure bees and/or produce as ‘free of disease’. Accredited DASH Bee farmers may say the following on websites and other communications material: A member of the National Bee Unit’s Disease Assurance Scheme for Honey bees (DASH) — Assured to recognise, manage and responsibly report honey bee disease.
Once an individual is DASH assured, inspectors will no longer routinely inspect their colonies. However, they will still maintain contact with members regarding disease incidence in the area and are available for advice or assistance. DASH apiaries identified to be at risk, may still require an NBU inspection. The NBU perform risk-based audits every 3 years in line with The Regulators' Code
The DASH scheme is entirely voluntary, and participants may leave at any time. There is no charge for participating in the scheme; training and equipment such as LFDs and reply-paid labels are provided.
For more information please refer to the DASH handbook.
