This is Canterbury, New Zealand's South Island, where a family wept at the fire, embracing and comforting each other.
What is being burned is their years of hard work - thousands of beehives, worth 2 million New Zealand dollars.
They were required to burn 10,000 boxes within seven days or face criminal prosecution.
This is because some of their products are believed to have traces of larval disease (AFB) in the Americas.
After losing NZ$2 million, he called for change
Springbank Honey is a beekeeping company in Canterbury, New Zealand, that processes and exports up to 150 tonnes of Manuka honey per month to the world.
However, some time ago, New Zealand's National Larval Disease Control Agency found AFB spores in the testing of the company's products, so it ordered the destruction of 10,000 beehives.
This bacterial disease weakens and kills the bee colony. Once infected, there is no way to recover.
Steven Brown, the company's owner, said that although a small number of spores were found, there was no infection, and the number of beehives that the management agency required them to burn was unreasonable.
Brown has been in the industry for over 30 years and has worked as an apiary inspector himself.
He pointed out that AFB does not have any effect on honey, it only affects bee larvae.
He thinks he's spending NZ$50,000 a month on testing products, and now he's being treated unfairly.
"We have absolutely no problem with the elimination of AFB, but what they are doing is wrong, completely wrong. There should be a change in the way AFB is managed in New Zealand.
"I knew these products were fine. There was nothing wrong with the beehives either, but now they are all ruined. Brown said.
He and his family were unhappy that the Larval Disease Management Agency of the Americas was treating the spores in a way that was too extreme.
"They conducted 6 tests and 2 of the hives showed AFB spores...... But no infections were found.
"Then they ordered the destruction of 10,000 beehives, which is unreasonable...... But you have to comply, or you risk jail.
"Whether they're right or wrong, you can't fight, and they'll sue immediately."
The burning of the beehives cost the Brown family NZ$2 million.
"It's so heartbreaking, my son can't help but cry, we work until 10:30 p.m. every day, and now all the hard work is in ashes." He said.
In this case, Springbank Honey received no compensation, and Brown feared that honey businesses across the country would be in trouble.
"It's protecting the industry!"
In response, Niharika Long, compliance manager at New Zealand's National Larval Disease Management Agency, said she could not disclose the specific spore count because of the trade secrets involved.
But Long noted that the counts detected at Springbank Honey were sufficient to pose a biosecurity risk. She wants people to understand that spores alone can transmit the disease.
"The spores are very resistant; They can survive in nature for more than 30 years. They may not affect adult bees, but they do affect the colony – when the adult bee feeds the spores to the bee larvae. She said.
AFB disease first appeared in New Zealand in 1877 and has been under legislative control since the early 1900s.
In New Zealand, the use of antibiotics to control AFB is illegal.
Antibiotics can only mask the symptoms, not eliminate the disease. Therefore, the only way is to incinerate.
The most important thing is to burn the hives, because Long believes that "if you keep the equipment, you will continue to use it, and the end result will be that the beekeepers around you will be affected." ”
Long said some countries do not accept bee products where spores are found. Beekeepers should be vigilant at the outset and report any signs to the authorities at any time.
"Incineration is a very destructive act, but we have to do it to protect the industry." Long said.