Review of Bee Health

Safety guide for chemically treated seeds

Editor’s Note: The “Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship” prepared by Agcarm, a New Zealand-based “industry association for companies which manufacture, distribute and sell products that keep animals healthy and crops thriving” is attached here.

From: New Zealand Radio

The seed and agri-chemical industries have launched a new safety guide for handling and using chemically treated seeds.

Seeds are treated to protect them from diseases and insect pests and reduce the need for spraying crops after they are sown.

Some of the treatments, such as insecticides, are a threat to bees, especially if dust is released during planting.

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BASF challenges EU seed treatment ban

From: The Grower

Vicky Boyd

BASF Corp. has filed a legal challenge against the European Union Commission that restricted seed treatments containing fipronil.

The commission took the action to help protect bees.

But BASF officials contend that the bee decline is caused by multiple factors and that fipronil use is not one of those, according to a news release.

The Limburgerhof, Germany-based chemical manufacturer has said the EU Commission did not consider all of the scientific evidence available when making its decision.

As a result, it violated EU pesticide legislation.

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Almond prices rocket due to honey bee shortage

From: The Telegraph

Honey bees have declined by 40pc causing a reduction in almond production in California with almond growers forced to pay thousands for pollination

By Radhika Sanghani

A shortage of honey bees is threatening almond growers in the US who need the bees to pollinate their orchards.

Honey bees are declining in health and their population has fallen by 30 to 40pc, which will lead to a 800,000 tonnes drop in US production this year, according to researchers Mintec.

The bee shortage has forced California almond growers to rent out hives for pollination with prices trebling to $150 a hive in California, which accounts for 80 per cent of the world’s crop.

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Varroa threat under watch

From: Weekly Times Now

Alex Sampson

THE almond industry is at the forefront of recognising the importance of paid pollination and pest awareness, experts say.

Growers at the Australian Almonds Conference in Adelaide last week were given an update on what has been done with the money they invested in the Pollination Program, a joint research effort managed by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and Horticulture Australia.

Pollination Research and Development Advisory Committee chairman Gerald Martin told growers they were to be congratulated for heeding warnings about pests such as varroa mite.

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Deformed Wing Virus Researchers Will Require Industry Partner to Move Forward

From: The Western Producer

by Robert Arnason

Research promising, but needs work

Deformed wing virus: Researchers will require industry partner to move forward

Research from the University of Manitoba may offer the bee industry relief from deformed wing virus. | File photo

As its name indicates, deformed wing virus causes shrunken or crumpled wings in bees, which often die from the disease when they become adults. Varroa mites transmit the virus to bees, and killing varroa with a miticide remains the best way to control the virus.

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ARA, ag industry urges EPA-USDA to hold pollinator summit

From: Agricultural Retailers Association

Last week, ARA joined a coalition of agricultural organizations in a letter to EPA and USDA urging the agencies fulfill a request from the American Honey Producers Association asking USDA-ARS to host a Varroa Mite Summit.

The Oct. 23 letter stated, “While it is understood that USDA is charged with the responsibility of bee health research, it is also recognized that EPA is charged with review and registration of pesticides. Few products are registered for control of varroa mite in bee hives. The chemical control of the varroa mite has limited success due partly to the development of varroa populations resistant to the registered products.”

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Archives – November, 2013

Safety guide for chemically treated seeds

BASF challenges EU seed treatment ban

Almond prices rocket due to honey bee shortage

Honey bees have declined by 40pc causing a reduction in almond production in California with almond growers forced to pay thousands for pollination

Varroa threat under watch

Deformed Wing Virus Researchers Will Require Industry Partner to Move Forward

Research promising, but needs work

Deformed wing virus: Researchers will require industry partner to move forward

ARA, ag industry urges EPA-USDA to hold pollinator summit

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