Tories investigate Shire’s honey pot

Jul 2 2009 by Les Stewart, Blairgowrie Advertiser

PERTHSHIRE Conservatives became beekeepers for a day when they visited the Heather Hills Honey Farm near Bridge of Cally, one of the largest honey-producing farms in Scotland.

Mid-Scotland and Fife Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser and Conservative Candidate for Perth and North Perthshire Peter Lyburn met Bernard Noonan to learn more about their operation.

The group looked specifically at the importance of honey bees to the Perthshire economy.

The farm has been producing honey for more than 50 years and has around 1300 beehives, which are moved seasonally around the Perthshire countryside to gather honey from the local nectar-yielding flowers.

The farm produce and pack a range of quality Scottish honeys and preserves, such as heather honey, blossom honey, heather honey with malt whisky.

The farm also produces quality jams.

Murdo said: “The honey produced at Heather Hills farm is world-class and is a great advertisement for Perthshire produce.

“I believe it is important that our politicians learn from our farming industry and find out what the Scottish Parliament can be doing to help.

“Just now, Scotland’s bee population is declining, which is extremely serious for the country and especially for the Perthshire area.

“Bees are vital to the human food chain as they pollinate a third of all foods grown and consumed across the United Kingdom. Here in Perthshire, we depend on the bee to pollinate our soft fruits.”