BEECHWORTH’s Jodie Goldsworthy has been recognised for significant service to primary industry, particularly the honey bee and pollination sector in this year’s Australia Day Honours awards with her appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division.

An overwhelmed Ms Goldsworthy - co-founder of Beechworth Honey - said she had been humbled in receiving the award.

“I think this is an award which is much bigger than me – it’s for bees and people who work behind the scenes and have supported me, our industry and also for the amazing organisations I have worked for,” she said.

Ms Goldsworthy has been a driving force in Australia and internationally for three decades working to protect bees with their vital role in food security, biodiversity and sustainability for a healthy planet.

The fourth-generation beekeeper grew up in the industry listening to problems that both bees and beekeepers faced throughout her childhood understanding the importance of bees.

“Bees pollinate two thirds of Australia's agricultural production and are absolutely critical for our food supply, biodiversity, healthy soil, water and the planet,” she said.

Ms Goldsworthy had recognised policy makers needed to understand the complex issues facing bees and beekeepers.

“You start to get involved in organisations, and work with like-minded people who share the same passion,” she said.

Among challenges for bees have been the threat of exotic pests and diseases from outside Australia such the varroa mite, intensive land management and its impact on the environment, and climate change.

“I've been lucky with amazing opportunities to help shape rural and regional Australia and try and share the importance of bees with organisation such as National Farmers Federation and Australian Food and Grocery Council.

Working at an international level Ms Goldsworthy spent eight years as Oceana regional president of the International Federation of Beekeeping Association, Apimondia, with its 128 member countries including Australia and is now Oceana regional’s vice president.

She has also a founding member of Apimondia’s honey adulteration working group.

“This has shaped the development of international standards both in the US and in Europe,” Ms Goldsworthy said.

“It's a complex topic where collaboration and collective global action is required.”

She has also been involved in organising the world beekeeping awards.

Ms Goldsworthy said among amazing mentors have been the late Linton Briggs, a beekeeper and a queen bee breeder from Glenrowan as well as Wheen Bee Foundation’s retired chairman Dr Max Whitten with whom she worked in creating the Foundation.

The Foundation promotes the importance of bees for food security and raises funds for research to address national and global threats to bees.

“The Foundation this year has been funded to develop an Australian pollination strategy, and that's something I've been, working on for a long time, and it's really exciting,” Ms Goldsworthy said.

With a love of nature and the environment Ms Goldsworthy hopes her legacy will be an inspiration for everyone to have a love of bees.

“It’s rewarding to work with other people and see that you can make a difference to help educate and inform,” she said.

Among other organisations, Ms Goldsworthy has held various board member and committee positions with Honey Packers and Marketers Association of Australia, Australian Honey Bee Industry Council.

Australian government appointments include being a member of the Horticulture Innovation Pollination Expert Advisory Panel and in previous years, a member of the Food Processing Industry Strategy Group and Deputy Prime Minister’s Regional Women’s Advisory Council.