About Us
Ensuring our food security
Wheen Bee Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes awareness of the importance of bees for food security, and raises funds for research that addresses the national and global threats to bees.
We engage with all levels of government, the apiculture industry, bee-reliant food industries, universities, research organisations and community.
We fund vital strategic research and education initiatives that strengthen honey bees, improve pollination efficiency and increase food security.
Make a donation to Wheen Bee Foundation
All donations help us address the national and global threats to bees by providing funding for much-needed research and education.
Supporting honey bee research and development
Since its foundation in 2009, the Wheen Bee Foundation has established itself as Australia’s premier, not-for-profit organisation supporting honey bee research and development.
Its founder, Gretchen Wheen, was a well-known commercial beekeeper specializing in the supply of quality queen bees for local and overseas markets.
Wheen recognised the fundamental link between honey bees and food security, and was concerned about the growing threats to the beekeeping industry. Before she died she donated her farm and other resources to establish the Wheen Bee Foundation, with the aim of supporting and developing research, innovation, training and communication to ensure a viable beekeeping industry and protect our food supply.
The Foundation actively works to attract donations to enable further research and innovation projects to achieve its mission of food security through bee security.
The Wheen Bee Foundation is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
The Foundation’s Research Fund is a registered Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR), which means any gifts and contributions to The Wheen Bee Foundation Research Fund are tax deductible.
Purpose
We exist to ensure there is sufficient bee-pollinated food to meet the health requirements of an expanding global population.
Vision
Our vision is to see healthy honey bees, prosperous honey bee industries with the capacity to provide crop pollination services for food production in a healthy ecosystem.
Mission
To facilitate and enable strategic beekeeping research, education and public awareness that improves industry viability, pollination and food security.
Values
- We act ethically and always engage with respect, fairness, integrity and professionalism
- We cherish the role of knowledge and its application through scientific research, beekeeper experience and education
- We recognise food security as a key pillar for the wellbeing of mankind
- Our members, donors, supporters and stakeholders are our most important assets and we will seek to deliver value and meaningful benefits for them all.
- We seek a strategic and solutions-based approach to issues and problems associated with our cause.
Objectives
- To support research, development and extension activities that will improve the efficiency of honey bee pollination in dependent food crops.
- To leverage public awareness of the role of bees to food security
- To connect people integral to the cause to work towards bee security for the future.
- To grow as a viable, self-sustaining Foundation.
