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 of the agricultural sector, and a key contributor to a Vision healthy environment. Facilitate the continued growth of a healthy, Mission innovative, and profitable apicultural sector in Canada. Identify priority issues and foster collaborative and innovative activities that help maintain a healthy honeybee population in Goals Canada and support a competitive Canadian apicultural industry.
Objectiv ctives es Objective 1 Objective 5 Mitigate losses; Build trust and strength bee health understanding and increase bee among all population stakeholders Objective 2 Objective 4 Apiculture is valued Ensure industry and a recognized expertise and component of secure consumer Objective 3 agriculture confidence Apiculture is a progressive and innovative industry in Canada
Objectives Objective 1 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 options 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.
Objectives Objective 2 Apiculture is a valued and recognized component of agriculture • National coordination on bee health issues (federal value chain roundtable) • Proactive identification of partnering opportunities among stakeholder groups • Active promotion of co-benefits between beekeepers and agricultural producers
Objectives Objective 3 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 4 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 5 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
Communications and Outreach • Goal is to communicate to the stakeholders and members of our 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
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