New app won't protect bees from neonics says Ontario Beekeepers VP Thursday, May 1, 2014 by MATT MCINTOSH Grain Farmers of Ontario’s new “BeConnected” smartphone app may help alleviate beekeeper concerns over the use of some pest-management products, but according to one Ontario Beekeepers Association spokesman, it falls short of addressing the problems associated with persistent, systemic insecticides. According to a May 1 press release from Grain Farmers of Ontario, the app – which will be piloted this season – is designed to help beekeepers and farmers connect with one another in an effort to “inform each other of activities planned on the land” and help reduce the impact of pesticides on honey bee populations. “As we pilot test the app this season, we encourage farmers to start the conversation with local beekeepers the old-fashioned way,” says Henry Van Ankum, chair of Grain Farmers, in the organization’s release. “Cooperating and sharing information at the local level is especially important this year.” The app is part of the provincial organization’s response to 13 recommendations released in March by the Ontario Bee Health Working Group. One of the recommendations had been to improve communication between farmers and beekeepers during planting. The working group was convened in 2013 to develop strategies to mitigate honey bees’ exposure to neonicotinoid insecticide seed treatments on corn and soybeans. North American and European studies indicate that residue from the seed treatments can contaminate dust created by certain types of planters used to plant corn and soybeans. The dust in turn has been blamed for several bee kills in Ontario that took place in recent planting seasons. Questions about whether the pesticide type might have a chronic impact on bees and the environment have also been raised. Tibor Szabo, vice president of the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association, says the app could eliminate some future problems by helping beekeepers and farmers coordinate to protect bees from traditional contact herbicides like 2,4-D. However, he says it will do little to stop bees’ exposure to neonicotinoids. “Persistent, systemic insecticides are not single-use contact products, are designed to last in plants for a long time, and are a major concern for us,” he says. “Bees can forage pretty far from the hive and are in danger of coming into contact with harmful chemicals from a wide area.” Part of the problem, he says, is that farmers do not always have much of a choice when it comes to treated and non-treated seed, making the app somewhat irrelevant. “We might be able to connect with farmers, but it doesn’t mean much if there are no viable alternatives out there,” says Szabo. “We need our other farm associations and government to act together or we will lose our bee industry.” Increasing the range of seed choice had been another of the Bee Health Working Group’s recommendations. BF CFIA suspends operations at Grey County egg grader Ontario sprouts election in the midst of planting season
Chinese Tariffs Are Squeezing Canadian Grain and Oilseeds Friday, March 14, 2025 By Aleah Harle, Farms.com Risk Management Intern On March 8, 2025, China announced steep retaliatory tariffs on $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural products in response to Canada’s October tariffs of 100% on Chinese EVs, and 25% on steel, and aluminum. These newly... Read this article online
Canada proactively purchases 500,000 doses of a human vaccine against bird flu Friday, March 14, 2025 By Liam Nolan Canada’s agricultural industry continues to monitor the spread of Avian Influenza (AI). The H5N1 HPAI was first reported in Canada in December 2021, below is an update on recent developments. Avian influenza, or bird flu, continues to impact poultry farms... Read this article online
Farmer Planting Decisions for 2025 Taking Shape Thursday, March 13, 2025 As farmers across Canada prepare for the 2025 crop year, Statistics Canada says their planting decisions reflect a complex mix of factors including moisture conditions, crop rotation considerations, and market prices. Nationally, farmers are expected to plant more wheat, corn for... Read this article online
Grain Growers of Sounding the Alarm Over U.S. Tariffs Monday, March 10, 2025 Not surprisingly, the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is raising concerns over the United States' decision to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian grain and grain products, a move that could jeopardize the livelihoods of family-run grain farms and lead to higher food prices for American... Read this article online
International Women’s Day – Angela Cammaert Wednesday, March 5, 2025 As International Women’s Day approaches on March 8, Farms.com is asking women in ag about what they’d tell their younger selves about being a farmer, to give a piece of advice to young women entering the ag sector, and to highlight a woman in agriculture they consider a mentor or... Read this article online