On 12 December 2013, the Senate moved that the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 26 March 2014.

The future of the beekeeping and pollination service industries in Australia, with particular reference to:

1. the importance of these industries from a food security, environmental and financial point of view;
2. current challenges facing the beekeeping industry domestically and internationally, and its future sustainability;
3. the adequacy of the current biosecurity arrangements for imported and exported honey, apiary products, package bees and queen bees;
4. Australia’s food labelling requirements, and how these affect the beekeeping industry;
5. the recommendations from the House Standing Committee on Primary Industries and Resources 2008 report More than Honey; the future of the Australian honey bee and pollination industries, and the Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee 2011 report Science underpinning the inability to eradicate the Asian honey bee; and
6. any related matters.