Oslo | Reuters — Just two per cent of wild bee species do almost 80 per cent of their work in pollinating crops, according to a study on Tuesday that outlined simple measures for farmers to attract star insects to safeguard food production. The international report, based on 90 studies in five continents, said governments […] Read more
Tiny number of bees account for most crop pollination, study finds
Nominations sought for pollinator award
Reading Time: < 1 minute Nominations are being sought for the 2015 Canadian Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award. Individuals or families in Canada currently implementing pollinator protection measures on their farm or ranch are encouraged to apply. The award recognizes farmers and ranchers who have made significant efforts in conserving natural ecosystems, fostering additional pollinator habitat, and protecting pollinators. The recipient […] Read more
Beekeepers bank on biodiversity in pasture lands
Canola is a great source of pollen and nectar — but only for one month of the year
Reading Time: 2 minutes As the Alberta countryside gets eaten up by field crops, pastures are becoming a “safe haven” for field crop pollinators. “Bees spend maybe a month sitting in a canola field, and in that month, they have adequate supplies of pollen and nectar from the canola,” said Adam Ovinge, a beekeeper from Granum. “The problem is […] Read more
Wild pollinators earn their keep on the farm
Wild pollinators may boost yields and help crops mature more uniformly, and also are a natural source of pest protection
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s crop-planning season and that means it’s a good time for making plans to create a wild pollinator habitat near your crops. Having a strong pollinator population can offer a benefit to crops, said Mark Wonneck, an ecologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Calgary. Bees are an important part of both alfalfa production and […] Read more
More heat than light in neonicotinoid controversy
Reading Time: < 1 minute Neonics have become one of those issues that creates deep divides. Are neonicotinoid pesticides silently poisoning our world, with bees serving as the canaries in a toxic coal mine? Or is the whole thing just the latest cause célèbre promoted by radical environmentalists who have a hate on for “industrial” farming? The already rancorous debate […] Read more
Expert: Neonics are an issue — and also an easy target
Reading Time: 2 minutes Why are neonicotinoids attracting so much attention? The controversy around neonicotinoids is a global one. There are places where neonicotinoids are associated with bee kills and there are places where they are not. The science around neonics and their effects on bees has some inconsistent elements. There hasn’t been any strong colony-level field tests, for […] Read more
Alberta opts for better management to reduce bee deaths
Reading Time: 2 minutes What’s Alberta Beekeepers Commission response to Ontario’s move? Our stance hasn’t changed. We are still very much in favour of working towards a scientific conclusion or solution to what has happened. In Alberta, we just aren’t seeing the same things as they’re seeing out in Ontario. We were very interested in the Pest Management Regulatory […] Read more
Ontario’s curbs on neonics may protect bees but diminish crops
Winnipeg | Reuters –– Ontario’s move to protect bees by reducing use of a pesticide seed treatment may diminish corn and soybean production, seed companies said on Wednesday. Beekeepers welcomed the move by Ontario, the first North American government to curb use of seed treated with neonicotinoids, which are used to kill insects that harm […] Read more
Alberta farm receives national pollinator award
Grass Roots Family Farm near Ferintosh has diversified into agroforestry
Reading Time: < 1 minute Grass Roots Family Farm is the 2014 recipient of the Canadian Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Award, which recognizes the contributions farmers make towards protecting pollinators and pollinator habitats. The 250-acre farm near Ferintosh, south of Camrose, is operated by Michael, Laura and Takota Coen. The Coens have been practising sustainable farming since the late 1980s, with son […] Read more
Neonic controversy shouldn’t affect canola producers
Ontario eyes restricting use of popular pesticide after bee deaths
Reading Time: 3 minutes The latest salvo in the ongoing controversy over neonicotinoids won’t affect Alberta canola growers, but it reinforces the need to “get the message out,” says the chairman of the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. Ontario’s new agriculture minister, Jeff Leal surprised and angered that province’s grain and oilseeds producers last month by saying he’s considering restrictions […] Read more
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