Bees and canola: A sweet relationship

Bee video_ Sweet relationship

The Canola Council of Canada has produced four videos showing how beekeepers and canola growers can work together. Click the image above to see the video called “Canola and Bees: A sweet relationship.”

The others can be viewed here.

CCC active in bee health working group
 
Building on the successful multi-stakeholder Bee Health Workshop convened by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in March 2014, the CCC is participating in a bee health working group to bring a national focus to the issue. The group is developing a work plan to look at the broad range of factors affecting bee health including bee pests, habitat, bee nutrition, and pesticides — ensuring a sustainable future for both beekeeping and agriculture. There is representation from beekeepers, agriculture, government, researchers, as well as the seed and crop science industry.
 
There have been concerns raised about the effect of neonicontinoid seed treatments for corn and soybeans on bee health. There has been no evidence that planting canola seed treated with neonicotinoid insecticides places pollinators at risk. Seed treatments used for canola remain on the seed and are not released as dust into the air, and field studies show no chronic or acute poisonings from seed treatments when analyzed at field scale rates. Applying foliar insecticides to canola can harm pollinators and beneficial insects however. The CCC will continue promoting best management practices to help growers minimize impacts on pollinators. Click here for more information.