Study Finds Chemicals Threaten Honeybee Health

“It’s one more arrow in the quiver.” – HEATHER CLAY, CHC Anew U. S. study has detected a number of pesticides in North American honeybee colonies at far higher levels than previously known. Scientists have found “unprecedented levels of miticides and agricultural pesticides in honeybee colonies from across the U. S. and one Canadian province,”

In Brief… – for Mar. 4, 2010

No more weed and feed: The Pest Management Regulatory Agency, with the support of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, has decided to uncouple the fertilizer-pesticide combination products intended for lawn and turf uses. The date of last sale for these products will be December 31, 2012. Based on consultation with the provinces, experts and registrants,


Aphid Killer Remains Available In Manitoba

“The procedural problem that has been identified in the U. S. didn’t occur here.” – PIERRE BEAUCHAMP, PMRA The abrupt removal of the agricultural insecticide spirotetramat from the market in the United States will not affect the product’s status in this country. “The short answer is no,” said Pierre Beauchamp of Health Canada’s Pest Management

Include European Pesticide Policy In Free Trade Talks

Officials negotiating a free trade deal with Europe must get EU officials to clarify the impact proposed pesticide registration rules will have on food imports from Canada, says Ron Bonnett, first vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. “We plan to raise this issue with Canadian negotiators,” Bonnett said in an interview after a meeting


Alternatives To Traditional Pesticides

Scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) have taken a “national team” approach to the development of biopesticides. A biopesticide is a biological agent, or micro-organism such as bacteria, used to control pesky insects, weeds and plant diseases in place of chemical pesticides. More than 20 AAFC scientists from coast to coast are co-ordinating steps

Manitoba Farmers Turn In Obsolete Pesticides

Aprogram to collect unwanted or obsolete pesticide last fall in Manitoba collected more than 51,158 kilograms of product – enough to fill approximately four semi-trailers, CropLife Canada says. Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Agriculture Sustainability Initiative Fund and Manitoba Conservation’s Sustainable Development Innovations Fund partnered with CropLife Canada to finance the Manitoba collection, with


Beekeepers Urge Restraint When Spraying Sunflowers

Manitoba honey producers have launched an awareness campaign to protect their bees from friendly fire coming off sunflower fields. The Manitoba Beekeepers Association is asking sunflower growers to use only certain insecticides when spraying for insect pests so as to avoid harming foraging honeybees. A resolution adopted by the MBA at its annual meeting last