Local beekeepers can apply for funding to help fight off pests and diseases threatening our precious pollinators. The joint $500,000 Federal-Provincial announcement was made at Innisfil Creek Honey Wednesday.
The money is meant to help beekeepers better control diseases and pests like Varroa mites. The funding is part of an targeted intake under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
The health of bee populations is vital given the importance of pollinators to food and seed production," said Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. "Our government is committed to providing beekeepers with the tools and support they need to maintain and enhance bee health, while ensuring a sustainable future for both beekeeping and the Canadian agriculture sector."
The buzz: what it means for Beekeepers
The money will go towards helping Beekeepers buy new equipment to prevent and stop the spread of disease. The beekeeping business sector can apply for money to help increase overwinter survival and to pay for costs associated with sampling and analysis for pests and diseases to increase adoption of integrated pest management. The application intake opens on September 3, 2019.
Local Honey Bee Facts
- At 23 per cent, Ontario’s average overwinter bee colony losses for this past winter were down significantly from the 2017-18 winter, based on beekeepers’ responses to OMAFRA’s spring 2019 survey.
- The health of managed honey bees is complex and influenced by several factors, including diseases, pests, genetics, environmental stressors and extreme weather.
- In addition to producing honey, Ontario-managed honey bees pollinate a wide range of crops, including apples, apricots, asparagus, blueberries, squash and canola, both within Ontario and in other provinces.
- The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3 billion commitment by Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada's agri-food and agri-products sectors.
- The beekeeper cost-share funding program has a continuous application process, with applications accepted until funding is fully allocated.
- Since June 2018, both the federal and provincial governments have committed cost-share support to almost 1,900 projects through the Partnership to help eligible Ontario farmers, processors, businesses and sector organizations innovate and grow
