Agriculture committee  As far as I know, Health Canada has done some studies and re-evaluations on the neonicotinoids. As far as taking measures goes, the industry has taken some measures to help reduce risks with seed flow lubricants and planting equipment, but I would agree with the earlier statement that it's too early to say if there will be any effect.

Agriculture committee  I would agree with that.

Agriculture committee  I just want to make a point to clarify. You're asking about the measures that Health Canada put in place. Are they measures that Health Canada has put in place or are you referring to measures that somebody else has put in place?

Agriculture committee  Again, I think we want to see the industry continue to grow, for sure, and we have the capacity in Canada to have many more bees than we do. In the Prairies we have 20 million acres of canola. If we wanted to have half a hive per acre to increase the yield of canola, as we heard, that could happen, the potential is huge.

Agriculture committee  From personal experience in being involved in the canola pollination industry, I'll say that we move bees and have heavy stocking rates compared to a honey production scenario. Frankly, we want to get them in and out as quickly as possible, because in southern Alberta when the canola is in bloom the bees do well, but once the canola starts shutting down, there is nothing else out there but prairie grass.

Agriculture committee  I guess some measures were brought into place for small hive beetle control over the last couple of years. It was mainly found in Ontario, but I guess there were some finds in British Columbia last year as well. Bee health overall does not seem to be directly related, like mass die-offs, to areas where there's higher bee movement.

Agriculture committee  I know that over the past couple of years, with the huge growth in beekeeping, it's mainly been urban and hobby beekeeping where there's been a huge interest across the country. The provincial apiculturists have done a good job, a great job, and they continue to do so, but it puts extreme pressure on these provincial apiculturists to maintain this growing group of beekeepers.

Agriculture committee  Perhaps I could just jump in and make a quick comment. At the bee health round table, we do have a couple of representatives from CAPA, and the provincial apiarists as well, and there has been some harmonization of national surveys by the provinces so that the data is collected in a uniform way.

Agriculture committee  This biosecurity program is a fairly thick document. It's voluntary for beekeepers at this time, but it touches on a lot of issues, and there is some overlap with some food safety. We've tried to condense it into a user-friendly single manual. There has been a reasonably good uptake so far for beekeepers, but we still would like to see a lot more uptake.

Agriculture committee  Thank you.

Agriculture committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee members, for asking me to appear. I'm sorry I couldn't be there. As mentioned, I did get out there last time, but it's a busy time. I am the chair of the Canadian Honey Council, which is the national industry organization for the honeybee industry.

Agriculture committee  The paper copy was distributed to the committee as well?

Agriculture committee  Okay. It's not a problem. I'll go through it and try to be halfway speedy. I'll tell you a bit about myself. I've been a beekeeper for 20 years. Some people think I'm young. Maybe I look younger than I am, but I started when I was 16, and I'm currently 36 years old. I'm involved both in honey production and in supplying bees for pollination services to the hybrid canola seed industry.