Corn growers not necessarily bee killers
Monday, May 7, 2012 12:23:59 EDT PM
In the Wednesday edition of your newspaper you included an article titled Pesticides Might Be Killing Bees, by Tara Bowie. It is unfortunate that an editorial decision was made which has the potential to pit farmer against farmer by alleging that corn producers near Burgessville may be responsible for Mr. Van Blyderveen losing 20% of his bee colony, and, subsequently, that grain farmers all over Southern Ontario may be responsible for losses in other colonies.
I applaud Mr. Blyderveen for sending his bees away for toxicology tests since it is, in the end, scientific verification that will provide real answers to this very real problem. While this situation seems different from the 2007 colony collapse disorder I can’t help but wonder why after so many years of coating corn seed with insecticide prior to planting this situation should suddenly arise. The neonicotinoids mentioned in the article, instead, are more likely to affect bees when the plant pollinates, eight to 12 weeks from now. Any other pesticide in common use this time of year by corn producers will be targeting weeds rather than insects.
I hope that The Woodstock Sentinel Review will publish the results of the toxicology tests and any findings made by the Ministry of the Environment in order to shed more light on this issue. Bees are an incredibly important component of the world around us and in many ways we are dependent on them for much of our food. Whichever outcome results, the scientific appraisal should subdue conjecture and suspicion.
Kevin Armstrong, Director of Oxford and Waterloo Counties for the Grain Farmers of Ontario