Deflectors, Fluency Agent and Seed Polymers — An Integrated Approach to Bee Safety

Debra Murphy, 2013

Tracey Baute BEesHow did the bees do this spring planting season? Very well, says Tracey Baute, field crop entomologist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Likely attributed to several factors — a late planting season being one of them — Baute and her colleagues have kept a close eye on the Ontario bee population this summer, with several trials in the works to measure best management practices farmers can employ immediately to mitigate the risk to bees of neonicotinoid exposure. A big part of that answer will come in the form of a combination of planter-mounted deflectors, continued use of Fluency agent and increased use of seed polymers to keep seed-applied products on the seed.

In this interview captured at the recent Bee Ag Day held at Osprey Bluffs Honey, Real Agriculture field editor, Bernard Tobin and OMAFRA’s Baute talk bee health and safety, on-going field trials for this year and what farmers may expect going forward from the ministry in terms of added regulation.

(It should be noted that Bern Tobin and Tracey Baute were rained on, chased by chickens, attacked by toads and accosted by locusts (well, that might be a stretch, but all the rest is true) during the recording of this audio, so if there are parts that sound a bit off, there’s good reason.)

If you can’t see the embedded player, click here to hear this interview.

Looking for more on the bee health issue? Follow this link.

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