fraser valley bee shortage overstated - country life in bc · 2018. 4. 30. · that beekeepers,...

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The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 MAY 2018 | Vol. 104 No. 5

Livestock New meat producer association launched 9

ALR Province urged to regulate house size 13

Labour MacAulay grilled over farm labour issue 21

by PETER MITHAM

VICTORIA – Growers acrossthe province are eagerlyawaiting release of the finaltext of a new agriculturalwaste control regulation(AWCR), removinguncertainties aroundpractices from manurehandling to how certainmaterials are stored.

The latest push to overhaulthe AWCR is set to completeby May 31, the day thecurrent sitting of thelegislature adjourns for thesummer.

Review of the regulation,originally adopted in 1992and last amended in 2008,began in October 2009. Threeintentions papers have beenreleased to date, with thelatest published lastNovember alongside a reviewof the province’s handling ofnitrate contamination in theHullcar aquifer.

Deadline for comment wasJanuary 15 and the provinceexpected to wrap up thereview and announcechanges to the regulation byspring 2018. BC Ministry ofEnvironment staff anticipate

publishing a summary reportin early May.

The latest intentions paperattracted “approximately 75responses,” the ministry said.Staff told Country Life in BCthat feedback was “generallysupportive of the proposeddirection.”

Conservation-mindedgroups such as the IslandsTrust urged consistencybetween various provincialregulations regarding streamsetbacks to protect fish.Meanwhile, farm groups

Still waiting: ag waste regs

BC Blueberry Council chair Jack Bates says he’s had no problem sourcing hives this year to pollinate the 90 acres of blueberrieshe grows in Delta. The bees are essential to ensuring good yields. SEAN HITREC PHOTO

See MANURE on next page o

by SEAN HITREC

DELTA – BC blueberry farmers andsome apiarists were left scratching theirheads after it was reported that therewould be a sizable bee shortage in theFraser Valley this spring.

In April, the Vancouver Sun reportedthat beekeepers, including “majoroperators from Alberta,” were refusingto send their colonies to the FraserValley this year due to health and honeyyield concerns. The article said the high-alkaline levels of blueberry pollen, a lackof variety in forage to make a balanceddiet and possible contamination fromfungicides used in blueberry fields wereto blame. When the bees returned toAlberta, they underperformed.

While the concerns may have somevalidity, blueberry farmers say thecorrelation between healthy bees andhealthy crop yields is what makes theiroperations work.

“Bee health is important to every[blueberry] grower that I've talked to

Fraser Valley bee shortage overstatedFarmers, apiaristsrespond to claim ofhive shortage andpoor health

See BEE on next page o

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