Program aims to reverse honey bee decline
By Contributor
An attempt is underway to reverse a decline in honey bee colony populations.
More than $244,000 in federal government money will be given to the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association to develop new strategies to help reverse the decline.
The project aims to help beekeepers secure sustainable honey harvests and provide essential pollination services to the fruit and vegetable industry.
“The funding provided through AAC will greatly advance OBA’s efforts to ensure the beekeeping industry has quality and consistent honey bee stocks,” said Jim Rickard, AAC Chair.
“Bees are the major pollinator of food crops and it is critical that beekeepers have access to the technology they need to maintain healthy bee colonies.”
Over the past four years, beekeepers in Ontario have been losing high numbers of honey bee colonies due to disease, pest resistance to treatment methods, and increased demand on honey bee colonies to provide pollination services.
Led by the universities of Guelph and Manitoba, the program will develop a breeding program that will result in honey bees that have the ability to resist pests and diseases.
It will also screen new products for pest and disease control and develop best management practices relating to pollination colonies. Beekeepers in the province of Ontario have identified these issues as priorities for the industry.
Ultimately, the project will provide beekeepers with the ability to have better control of colony genetics and health in order to have consistent honey production and pollination services.
- Funding for this project is being provided by the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP).
