generation beekeeper Sophia Croker speaks out about the industry's struggles
Fourth-generation beekeeper Sophia Croker is highlighting the struggles of the Australian honey industry, including rising costs and the threat of the varroa mite. Despite these challenges, she is expanding her business and using social media to educate the public.
Why it matters
The survival of the commercial beekeeping industry is vital for food security and agricultural pollination, yet it faces significant economic and biological threats.
Sophia Croker is documenting her life on social media to give people a better understanding of Australia's local honey industry. ( Supplied )
When Sophia Croker was 18, she took out a $40,000 loan to buy 120 beehives.
Now she manages nearly 2,000 hives with her father, and documents her life on social media to help educate people about the industry.
Sophia says beekeepers need more support as rising costs, imported honey and varroa mite push the industry to the brink.
Link copied Share Share article With her swag rolled out and her campfire lit, Sophia Croker is in her happy place.
She's in the middle of nowhere, but right beside the thing that matters most: her bees.
"Nothing about my lifestyle is normal," she says.
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