Roundtable CSTA Seed Applied Technologies Committee November 14, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

National Bee Health Roundtable

CSTA Seed Applied Technologies Committee

November 14, 2014

Background

• Summer 2013; CSTA, CropLife and the Canadian Honey Council

wrote letters to the federal Agriculture Minister, Gerry Ritz requesting the formation of a national roundtable on bee health

• A National Bee Health Forum was initially formed on an ad-

hoc basis, meeting for the first time in March 2014 and then again in October 2014

• At the end of the recent October meeting a consensus was

reached to entrench the group as formal AAFC roundtable

• The National Bee Health Roundtable is co-chaired by AAFC

and the Canadian Honey Council

Membership

• The members of the National Bee Health Forum are

diverse and cross-sectoral and include both industry, government and academia

• Industry: CSTA, Grain Farmers of Ontario, Canadian

Horticultural Council, Canadian Organic Growers, Canola Council of Canada, CropLife, Grain Growers of Canada, CSGA, Canadian Honey Council, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association, BC Blueberry Council, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Oxford Frozen Foods, Fédération des producteurs de cultures commerciales du Québec, Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists, Flowers Growers’ Canada, Ontario Corn Growers

Membership (2)

• Federal Government: Pest Management Regulatory

Agency of Health Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

• Provincial Government: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,

Food and Rural Affairs, Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, New Brunswick Department of Agriculture and Aquaculture, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture, North West Territories Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment , Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

Membership (3)

• Academia: University of Guelph, University of Manitoba
• Steering Committee: CSTA, Canadian Honey Council,

CropLife, Canola Council of Canada, OMAFRA, GFO, AAFC, PMRA, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development , Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Alberta Agriculture

Mandate

The Canadian Bee Health Roundtable includes representatives from across the apicultural value chain, including beekeepers, professional apiculturists, agricultural producers, seed industry, government regulators, researchers, the crop protection industry, equipment manufacturers and agronomists. Stakeholders come together to share information, educate, and work collaboratively on strategies to realize the goal of the Roundtable.

Vision, mission, goals

Bees in Canada are thriving, are an integral component

• f the agricultural sector, and a key contributor to a

healthy environment. Facilitate the continued growth of a healthy, innovative, and profitable apicultural sector in Canada.

Identify priority issues and foster collaborative and innovative activities that help maintain a healthy honeybee population in Canada and support a competitive Canadian apicultural industry. Vision Mission Goals

Objectiv ctives es

Mitigate losses; strength bee health and increase bee population

Objective 1 Objective 2

Apiculture is valued and a recognized component of agriculture

Objective 3

Apiculture is a progressive and innovative industry in Canada Ensure industry expertise and secure consumer confidence

Objective 4 Objective 5

Build trust and understanding among all stakeholders

Objectives

Mitigate losses from pests, pathogens, pesticides, and other causes; strengthen bee health; and increase bee populations in Canada

• a. Increase the range of registered pest control
• ptions to treat Varroa mites and other

parasites

• b. Actively identify and promote ways to

reduce exposure of bees to pesticides both inside the hive and out.

Objective 1

Apiculture is a valued and recognized component of agriculture

• National coordination on bee health issues

(federal value chain roundtable)

• Proactive identification of partnering
• pportunities among stakeholder groups
• Active promotion of co-benefits between

beekeepers and agricultural producers

Objectives

Objective 2

Apiculture is a progressive and innovative industry in Canada

• Strategy to improve and enhance bee

health at the federal level

• Coordination, implementation, and funding

support for a national bee research strategy

• Federal lead identified on bee health
• Apicultural industry participation on Pest

Management Advisory Council (PMAC)

• Address the issue of data generation and

registration for in-hive pesticides and veterinary products

• Ensure supply for pollination services can

be met

Objectives

Objective 3

Ensure industry expertise and secure consumer confidence in products

• Beekeepers must have the tools and

knowledge to change

• Expand on technology transfer

initiatives

• Education initiatives made to all

beekeepers

• Appropriate tools for commercial and

hobby operations

Objectives

Objective 4

Build trust and understanding among all stakeholders

• Tell the full bee health story to the public
• Convey Canadian actions on all aspects of

the bee health issue (Varroa, pesticides, forage, etc.)

• Bee Health Roundtable members commit to

being champions

Objectives

Objective 5

Communications and Outreach

• Goal is to communicate to the stakeholders and members of
• ur collective organizations, governments across the country,

the media and the public

• Each member has the responsibility to communicate within

their own organization. The spokesperson for the Roundtable is the Canadian Honey Council.

• Communications tools:
• A website portal on AAFC’s website
• Press releases & letters
• Public Dialogue Forum
• Articles, info-cards & presentations to our stakeholders

Next Steps

• Finalize national strategy and communications plan
• AAFC to issue a press release and update Roundtable website
• Funding has been secured and now the work needs to begin to

create a national set of BMPs for Beekeepers

• Several working groups have been struck which are now

beginning to develop work plans

• More info is available on AAFC’s Roundtable website:

www.agr.gc.ca/eng/industry-markets-and-trade/value-chain- roundtables