Latest news with #Varroa
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Call for urgent financial assistance to save Lower Hunter vegetable grower
Ten years ago, Matt Dennis was faced with a field of flood-damaged pumpkins, and he contemplated ploughing them back into the ground. Who was going to buy a muddy pumpkin? Along came Amorelle Dempster and Slow Food Hunter Valley, which had plans to save and sell the muddy pumpkins through a market in Maitland. That decision led to the eventual establishment of Maitland's Slow Food Earth Markets - an outlet that the Dennis family from Nebo Farm, East Maitland, have supported since it began. This week, on Thursday the muddy pumpkins return to the Earth Market as flooding last month has again taken a toll on Nebo Farm. Ms Dempster visited the farm this week and said 20 tonnes of pumpkins will be ploughed back into the ground, but five tonnes were above the water level and are now ready to market. "It's devastating that so much of Nebo's crops have been lost in the latest flood event. It was the floods ten years ago that started our drive to establish a growers' market in Maitland, and now, should the Dennis family say enough is enough, what will happen to our Earth Market, as they are the last commercial grower in the Lower Hunter," she said. "We need to protect growers like the Dennis family. Fresh and local produce is simply so critical, not only for food security but also for the supply of high-quality produce. "Quality produce means better food and a healthier community." To help save the farm's vegetable production, Ms Dempster said the NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, should declare a Natural Disaster Category D for the region. Such a declaration would invoke an exceptional circumstances assistance beyond Categories A, B and C, usually considered once the impact of the disaster has been assessed and specific recovery gaps identified. Category D assistance is requested from the states and requires agreement from the Prime Minister. This would ordinarily be grants, but may include loans. A Category B declaration was made on 21/05/2025. Ms Dempster said the farmers needed urgent financial assistance to replant and buy seedlings. "The floods have wiped out their crops and their seedlings. Tens of thousands lost - so they need the government to act immediately," she said. Highlighting the difficulties of growing vegetables only a couple of years after the Varroa mite arrived, and all the local bees were destroyed, fertilising the pumpkin plants became another challenge for the family. As soon as the government allowed bees back in the district, 20 hives arrived at Nebo Farm, and they had been doing a fantastic job fertilising the pumpkins and other plants, Ms Dempster said. So this Thursday at the Earth Markets at the Levee - pumpkins are top of the buying list. Ten years ago, Matt Dennis was faced with a field of flood-damaged pumpkins, and he contemplated ploughing them back into the ground. Who was going to buy a muddy pumpkin? Along came Amorelle Dempster and Slow Food Hunter Valley, which had plans to save and sell the muddy pumpkins through a market in Maitland. That decision led to the eventual establishment of Maitland's Slow Food Earth Markets - an outlet that the Dennis family from Nebo Farm, East Maitland, have supported since it began. This week, on Thursday the muddy pumpkins return to the Earth Market as flooding last month has again taken a toll on Nebo Farm. Ms Dempster visited the farm this week and said 20 tonnes of pumpkins will be ploughed back into the ground, but five tonnes were above the water level and are now ready to market. "It's devastating that so much of Nebo's crops have been lost in the latest flood event. It was the floods ten years ago that started our drive to establish a growers' market in Maitland, and now, should the Dennis family say enough is enough, what will happen to our Earth Market, as they are the last commercial grower in the Lower Hunter," she said. "We need to protect growers like the Dennis family. Fresh and local produce is simply so critical, not only for food security but also for the supply of high-quality produce. "Quality produce means better food and a healthier community." To help save the farm's vegetable production, Ms Dempster said the NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, should declare a Natural Disaster Category D for the region. Such a declaration would invoke an exceptional circumstances assistance beyond Categories A, B and C, usually considered once the impact of the disaster has been assessed and specific recovery gaps identified. Category D assistance is requested from the states and requires agreement from the Prime Minister. This would ordinarily be grants, but may include loans. A Category B declaration was made on 21/05/2025. Ms Dempster said the farmers needed urgent financial assistance to replant and buy seedlings. "The floods have wiped out their crops and their seedlings. Tens of thousands lost - so they need the government to act immediately," she said. Highlighting the difficulties of growing vegetables only a couple of years after the Varroa mite arrived, and all the local bees were destroyed, fertilising the pumpkin plants became another challenge for the family. As soon as the government allowed bees back in the district, 20 hives arrived at Nebo Farm, and they had been doing a fantastic job fertilising the pumpkins and other plants, Ms Dempster said. So this Thursday at the Earth Markets at the Levee - pumpkins are top of the buying list. Ten years ago, Matt Dennis was faced with a field of flood-damaged pumpkins, and he contemplated ploughing them back into the ground. Who was going to buy a muddy pumpkin? Along came Amorelle Dempster and Slow Food Hunter Valley, which had plans to save and sell the muddy pumpkins through a market in Maitland. That decision led to the eventual establishment of Maitland's Slow Food Earth Markets - an outlet that the Dennis family from Nebo Farm, East Maitland, have supported since it began. This week, on Thursday the muddy pumpkins return to the Earth Market as flooding last month has again taken a toll on Nebo Farm. Ms Dempster visited the farm this week and said 20 tonnes of pumpkins will be ploughed back into the ground, but five tonnes were above the water level and are now ready to market. "It's devastating that so much of Nebo's crops have been lost in the latest flood event. It was the floods ten years ago that started our drive to establish a growers' market in Maitland, and now, should the Dennis family say enough is enough, what will happen to our Earth Market, as they are the last commercial grower in the Lower Hunter," she said. "We need to protect growers like the Dennis family. Fresh and local produce is simply so critical, not only for food security but also for the supply of high-quality produce. "Quality produce means better food and a healthier community." To help save the farm's vegetable production, Ms Dempster said the NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, should declare a Natural Disaster Category D for the region. Such a declaration would invoke an exceptional circumstances assistance beyond Categories A, B and C, usually considered once the impact of the disaster has been assessed and specific recovery gaps identified. Category D assistance is requested from the states and requires agreement from the Prime Minister. This would ordinarily be grants, but may include loans. A Category B declaration was made on 21/05/2025. Ms Dempster said the farmers needed urgent financial assistance to replant and buy seedlings. "The floods have wiped out their crops and their seedlings. Tens of thousands lost - so they need the government to act immediately," she said. Highlighting the difficulties of growing vegetables only a couple of years after the Varroa mite arrived, and all the local bees were destroyed, fertilising the pumpkin plants became another challenge for the family. As soon as the government allowed bees back in the district, 20 hives arrived at Nebo Farm, and they had been doing a fantastic job fertilising the pumpkins and other plants, Ms Dempster said. So this Thursday at the Earth Markets at the Levee - pumpkins are top of the buying list. Ten years ago, Matt Dennis was faced with a field of flood-damaged pumpkins, and he contemplated ploughing them back into the ground. Who was going to buy a muddy pumpkin? Along came Amorelle Dempster and Slow Food Hunter Valley, which had plans to save and sell the muddy pumpkins through a market in Maitland. That decision led to the eventual establishment of Maitland's Slow Food Earth Markets - an outlet that the Dennis family from Nebo Farm, East Maitland, have supported since it began. This week, on Thursday the muddy pumpkins return to the Earth Market as flooding last month has again taken a toll on Nebo Farm. Ms Dempster visited the farm this week and said 20 tonnes of pumpkins will be ploughed back into the ground, but five tonnes were above the water level and are now ready to market. "It's devastating that so much of Nebo's crops have been lost in the latest flood event. It was the floods ten years ago that started our drive to establish a growers' market in Maitland, and now, should the Dennis family say enough is enough, what will happen to our Earth Market, as they are the last commercial grower in the Lower Hunter," she said. "We need to protect growers like the Dennis family. Fresh and local produce is simply so critical, not only for food security but also for the supply of high-quality produce. "Quality produce means better food and a healthier community." To help save the farm's vegetable production, Ms Dempster said the NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, should declare a Natural Disaster Category D for the region. Such a declaration would invoke an exceptional circumstances assistance beyond Categories A, B and C, usually considered once the impact of the disaster has been assessed and specific recovery gaps identified. Category D assistance is requested from the states and requires agreement from the Prime Minister. This would ordinarily be grants, but may include loans. A Category B declaration was made on 21/05/2025. Ms Dempster said the farmers needed urgent financial assistance to replant and buy seedlings. "The floods have wiped out their crops and their seedlings. Tens of thousands lost - so they need the government to act immediately," she said. Highlighting the difficulties of growing vegetables only a couple of years after the Varroa mite arrived, and all the local bees were destroyed, fertilising the pumpkin plants became another challenge for the family. As soon as the government allowed bees back in the district, 20 hives arrived at Nebo Farm, and they had been doing a fantastic job fertilising the pumpkins and other plants, Ms Dempster said. So this Thursday at the Earth Markets at the Levee - pumpkins are top of the buying list.
Associated Press
29-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
ToBe Launches Smart Beekeeping Breakthrough and Invites Investment to Combat Global Pollination Crisis
05/28/2025, Kefar Sava, Israel // PRODIGY: Feature Story // Avner Einav, VP of Product at ToBe and beekeeper (source: ToBe) Agri-tech innovator ToBe officially introduced HiveMaster, an IoT-based beekeeping device that aims to safeguard honeybee populations and revitalize the global pollination ecosystem. With food systems worldwide under increasing pressure due to collapsing bee colonies, the company's scalable solution presents an opportunity to address the pollination crisis. As ToBe opens its current investment round, it invites investors to join a mission that combines resilience, advanced technology, and planetary stewardship. 'Our world depends on bees more than most realize,' says Eric Joely, CEO of ToBe. 'People might think it's just about honey. But it's about almonds, apples, avocados, and every third bite we take. We developed HiveMaster to give beekeepers the power to protect their colonies without harming the bees, the honey, or the environment. We're opening this investment round to scale a solution that supports global food security and renews an industry under siege.' After stabilizing the technology and making it market-ready, ToBe is currently in Series A fundraising to facilitate rapid, worldwide growth. 'ToBe will be present in at least half of the colonies around the world, turning the hives into smart, tech-enabled hives, and driving the industry into the future. That is the goal, that is the mission. Is it ambitious? Yes, but that's what it will take to solve this problem,' says Avner Einav, VP of Product at ToBe, and a passionate beekeeper. HiveMaster is an in-hive device that brings precision agriculture into the beekeeping world. The system automatically administers finely controlled pulses of anti-Varroa treatment in gas form, reducing the need for manual labor and chemical exposure. If conventional approaches flood hives with pesticides that leave harmful residues in honey and wax, ToBe's device tailors treatment in real-time using integrated sensors, data analytics, and AI protocols. The result is 95% efficacy against the Varroa mite, the parasitic culprit behind the majority of global bee colony collapses. Independent trials conducted in 2024 by the Department of Entomology at an American university confirmed HiveMaster's remarkable performance. Compared to beehive strips, the leading conventional treatment, ToBe's device delivered more than double the efficacy while maintaining consistent results across all hives. Apivar-treated hives showed high variability and potential resistance issues. Meanwhile, HiveMaster's gas-phase delivery ensured even treatment across brood cells and nurse bees. Colonies utilizing HiveMaster experienced no measurable drop in vitality, even after repeated treatments. It showed a 30% increase in honey yield and significant improvements in pollination strength. This performance is thanks to ToBe's design innovations from over five years of dedicated research and development. From its initial concept in 2018, ToBe's team of experts in biology, chemistry, electrical and mechanical engineering, and data science pursued a single goal of developing a device that could replicate the most effective miticide delivery system without the labor intensity and toxicity of existing methods. 'After extensive biological trials and multiple iterations, we finally developed HiveMaster. It's flood-proof, propolis-resistant, and compatible with 95% of global hive frames,' says Avner Einav, VP of Product at ToBe. The plug-and-play unit installs in under a minute, requires no maintenance for a year, and communicates seamlessly with a solar-powered external unit and a beekeeper's smartphone app. This feature enables continuous updates, remote diagnostics, and optimized treatment schedules. The response from industry insiders has been positive. Commercial beekeepers and associations have already begun incorporating HiveMaster into their operations. A beekeeper from the US shares: 'ToBe's solution offers a highly effective and urgently needed alternative. The colonies that were treated with HiveMaster are the best colonies we have.' The chairman of an organization of honey producers echoes the sentiment. He states: 'Many members of our association, who collectively own almost half a million hives, have shown great interest in this technology. This is primarily due to its phenomenal efficacy and the significant reduction in the use of miticides in the hives.' ToBe plans to expand its offerings into a broader smart hive ecosystem. The company is developing advanced features that will support additional pest control, hive performance benchmarking, and yield forecasting. It's also exploring strategic partnerships with large-scale food producers and agri-tech firms to integrate HiveMaster into broader supply chains and pollination management systems. With regulatory approval already secured in Israel and advanced applications underway in key markets, ToBe is preparing for rapid global deployment. Supporting ToBe means helping solve one of the most urgent ecological crises of the time while creating value across the food supply chain. The company welcomes interest from angel investors, venture capital funds, and strategic partners aligned with its mission. There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any security or any other product or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this should be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment or security, or to engage in any investment strategy or transaction. It is your responsibility to determine whether any investment, investment strategy, security, or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. Consult your business advisor, attorney, or tax advisor regarding your specific business, legal, or tax situation. Media Contact Name: Avner Einav Email: [email protected] Source published by Submit Press Release >> ToBe Launches Smart Beekeeping Breakthrough and Invites Investment to Combat Global Pollination Crisis
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ToBe Launches Smart Beekeeping Breakthrough and Invites Investment to Combat Global Pollination Crisis
ToBe launches HiveMaster, a smart beekeeping device with proven efficacy. It's now open to angel, venture, and strategic investment as it scales globally to protect bees and ensure food security. Kefar Sava, Israel, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avner Einav, VP of Product at ToBe and beekeeper (source: ToBe) Agri-tech innovator ToBe officially introduced HiveMaster, an IoT-based beekeeping device that aims to safeguard honeybee populations and revitalize the global pollination ecosystem. With food systems worldwide under increasing pressure due to collapsing bee colonies, the company's scalable solution presents an opportunity to address the pollination crisis. As ToBe opens its current investment round, it invites investors to join a mission that combines resilience, advanced technology, and planetary stewardship. 'Our world depends on bees more than most realize,' says Eric Joely, CEO of ToBe. 'People might think it's just about honey. But it's about almonds, apples, avocados, and every third bite we take. We developed HiveMaster to give beekeepers the power to protect their colonies without harming the bees, the honey, or the environment. We're opening this investment round to scale a solution that supports global food security and renews an industry under siege.' After stabilizing the technology and making it market-ready, ToBe is currently in Series A fundraising to facilitate rapid, worldwide growth. 'ToBe will be present in at least half of the colonies around the world, turning the hives into smart, tech-enabled hives, and driving the industry into the future. That is the goal, that is the mission. Is it ambitious? Yes, but that's what it will take to solve this problem,' says Avner Einav, VP of Product at ToBe, and a passionate beekeeper. HiveMaster is an in-hive device that brings precision agriculture into the beekeeping world. The system automatically administers finely controlled pulses of anti-Varroa treatment in gas form, reducing the need for manual labor and chemical exposure. If conventional approaches flood hives with pesticides that leave harmful residues in honey and wax, ToBe's device tailors treatment in real-time using integrated sensors, data analytics, and AI protocols. The result is 95% efficacy against the Varroa mite, the parasitic culprit behind the majority of global bee colony collapses. Independent trials conducted in 2024 by the Department of Entomology at an American university confirmed HiveMaster's remarkable performance. Compared to beehive strips, the leading conventional treatment, ToBe's device delivered more than double the efficacy while maintaining consistent results across all hives. Apivar-treated hives showed high variability and potential resistance issues. Meanwhile, HiveMaster's gas-phase delivery ensured even treatment across brood cells and nurse bees. Colonies utilizing HiveMaster experienced no measurable drop in vitality, even after repeated treatments. It showed a 30% increase in honey yield and significant improvements in pollination strength. This performance is thanks to ToBe's design innovations from over five years of dedicated research and development. From its initial concept in 2018, ToBe's team of experts in biology, chemistry, electrical and mechanical engineering, and data science pursued a single goal of developing a device that could replicate the most effective miticide delivery system without the labor intensity and toxicity of existing methods. 'After extensive biological trials and multiple iterations, we finally developed HiveMaster. It's flood-proof, propolis-resistant, and compatible with 95% of global hive frames,' says Avner Einav, VP of Product at ToBe. The plug-and-play unit installs in under a minute, requires no maintenance for a year, and communicates seamlessly with a solar-powered external unit and a beekeeper's smartphone app. This feature enables continuous updates, remote diagnostics, and optimized treatment schedules. The response from industry insiders has been positive. Commercial beekeepers and associations have already begun incorporating HiveMaster into their operations. A beekeeper from the US shares: 'ToBe's solution offers a highly effective and urgently needed alternative. The colonies that were treated with HiveMaster are the best colonies we have.' The chairman of an organization of honey producers echoes the sentiment. He states: 'Many members of our association, who collectively own almost half a million hives, have shown great interest in this technology. This is primarily due to its phenomenal efficacy and the significant reduction in the use of miticides in the hives.' ToBe plans to expand its offerings into a broader smart hive ecosystem. The company is developing advanced features that will support additional pest control, hive performance benchmarking, and yield forecasting. It's also exploring strategic partnerships with large-scale food producers and agri-tech firms to integrate HiveMaster into broader supply chains and pollination management systems. With regulatory approval already secured in Israel and advanced applications underway in key markets, ToBe is preparing for rapid global deployment. Supporting ToBe means helping solve one of the most urgent ecological crises of the time while creating value across the food supply chain. The company welcomes interest from angel investors, venture capital funds, and strategic partners aligned with its mission. There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any security or any other product or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this should be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment or security, or to engage in any investment strategy or transaction. It is your responsibility to determine whether any investment, investment strategy, security, or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. Consult your business advisor, attorney, or tax advisor regarding your specific business, legal, or tax situation. Media Contact Name: Avner Einav Email: avner@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Int'l Business Times
28-05-2025
- Health
- Int'l Business Times
Saving the Hive: ToBe Leads Fight Against the Global Bee Crisis
The world's honeybee population is in peril, and the implications reach beyond the hive. With the crisis threatening the sustainability of beekeeping as an industry and the global food system itself, environmentalists, agricultural leaders, and governing bodies are becoming increasingly concerned. ToBe, an agri-tech innovator focused on ecological and nutritional resilience, responds to this mounting emergency. It introduces a science-backed solution that can redefine how humanity protects its most vital pollinators. ToBe has observed the alarming trends facing apiarists worldwide, including the loss rates of bee colonies, which have reached over 60% across the United States. These losses have rippling effects across the agricultural value chain. Pollinators affect 35% of global agricultural land, which supports the production of over 80% of the leading food crops globally. According to Bayer Global, the estimated market value at stake due to pollinator decline is between $235 and $577 billion annually. Many might assume that stressors such as pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change primarily contribute to colony collapse. This assumption is true, to some extent. However, ToBe's internal research and collaboration with entomological experts have revealed that the origin of the devastation lies in the Varroa destructor. This parasitic mite has become the honeybee's most lethal adversary. This invasive species feeds on the bees' fat tissue and transmits a cocktail of viruses directly into their bloodstream, bypassing the bees' natural defenses. The result is a weakened colony that can't withstand even mild environmental pressures. The problem doesn't stop there. The traditional approach to managing Varroa infestations, such as flooding hives with miticides, has become ineffective and harmful. These chemical treatments must balance between being strong enough to kill mites, but not so toxic that they destroy the bees themselves. With low efficacy and growing resistance among mite populations, the traditional model has reached its limits. ToBe then created a solution to control Varroa more effectively and reduce collateral damage to bees, their environment, and the honey they produce. Founded to secure human nutritional stability through the protection of honeybee pollination services, its mission is to free bees, beekeepers, and agriculture from the devastating impact of Varroa mites through technological innovation. This mission led to the development of HiveMaster. It's an innovative device that delivers precision treatment inside the hive while requiring no human intervention once installed. HiveMaster is a compact, electro-mechanical system that can convert any conventional hive into a smart, self-regulating environment. It combines proprietary software, real-time sensors, and an Internet-of-Things (IoT) infrastructure to monitor hive health and dispense gas-phase anti-Varroa compounds with exact timing and dosage. Varroa mites (source: ToBe) Varroa mites ToBe "We came up with this breakthrough because we don't want to overwhelm the hive with chemicals. We want to target the mites precisely when and where they are most vulnerable. This is how we minimize pesticide exposure while amplifying impact," ToBe CEO Eric Joely states. HiveMaster's design philosophy revolves around adaptability and intelligence. Its internal sensors detect the state of the colony, such as temperature, bee activity, and environmental conditions, and adjust the treatment accordingly. "As a beekeeper, dealing with this impossible problem over many years, and seeing businesses perish as a result, I was ready to join the company to fix this problem from the root," says Avner Einav, VP of Product. "ToBe promises technology to ensure a better future for the farmers, the industry, and of course the bees themselves." A connected mobile app provides beekeepers with real-time updates, helping them make informed decisions while reducing the need for frequent manual interventions. With its innovative features, HiveMaster is well-positioned to transform beekeeping into a precision agricultural practice, mirroring the broader trend toward data-driven sustainability in farming. However, how effective is this solution in practice? ToBe sought to answer that question through rigorous, third-party validation. In collaboration with the Department of Entomology at an American university, it conducted a field study comparing HiveMaster to traditional treatment methods using acaricide strips. The results were eye-opening. Colonies treated with HiveMaster showed a 95% reduction in Varroa mite infestations, outperforming colonies treated with widely used beehive strips, which achieved only 41% efficacy. The control group, untreated, fared even worse at only 11%. Besides outperforming in terms of mite reduction, HiveMaster also demonstrated remarkable consistency across all test hives. It overcame the erratic performance seen with chemical strips. In addition, the HiveMaster's gas-phase application overcomes the challenge of mites hidden within the capped brood, breaking the parasite's life cycle. Interestingly, the study also unveiled that HiveMaster-treated colonies maintained their strength throughout the trial, with no adverse impact on the number of frames occupied by bees. This contrasts with some conventional treatments that can compromise hive vitality. Additionally, reducing treatment duration translates into more efficient operations and less labor-intensive management for beekeepers. Overall, the device offers a significant return on investment ecologically and economically. With regulatory approval secured in Israel and expansion plans underway in the US and other key markets, ToBe's HiveMaster is bound to become a foundational technology in the global effort to stabilize pollination systems. The company is already rapidly scaling up production in anticipation of broader regulatory green lights. "At the end of the day, everything we do is to protect bees and safeguard the future of food," Joely remarks. "HiveMaster is our answer to one of agriculture's greatest threats, and it proves that with the right technology, we can restore balance between nature and industry."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
The hidden cost of honeybee colony losses: Insights from a Canadian beekeeper
Bee beards might be going away for some places in North America, but more importantly, the price of groceries could be under pressure as bee colony losses over the winter in the US are far higher than average. Honeybees are critical to agriculture for their pollination services, even though they're probably better known for honey production. Many crops require pollination to produce the food we eat—apples, cucumbers, and strawberries are examples. Losing the bees that provide pollination is a serious problem. RELATED: I'd heard that US beekeepers were finding far higher overwinter losses than usual, and I wanted to see if Canada was having the same issues. We'd had a cold, almost never-ending winter in southern Ontario, and I assumed that we'd have high losses as well. To find out, I headed down to Clovermead Farm in Aylmer, Ont., to talk to owner and third-generation beekeeper Chris Hiemstra. 'Everyone is aware that this has been a real Canadian winter, and our losses are slightly higher than normal," Chris told me when I met him in the Clovermead farm store, a small, cozy spot filled with hundreds of jars of honey and smelling of a mix of flowers, maple, and, of course, honey. "Our beekeeper, Albert, has said we're at about a 17 per cent loss. Average losses for us are around 15 per cent, but most beekeepers are happy with anywhere between 10 and 15 per cent.' Mark Robinson (right) pictured with Chris Hiemstra, owner of Clovermead Farm in Aylmer, Ont. (The Weather Network) Bee colony losses are to be expected every winter thanks to a variety of factors, including the destructive Varroa mite, viruses and bacteria introduced to a hive thanks to the mite, and poor winter nutrition. These factors vary across both the US and Canada, but the difference between the losses in the two countries is stark. According to Washington State University, some regions in the US have seen 60-70 per cent losses over this winter. READ ALSO: I asked Chris about this discrepancy, and his answer intrigued me: 'My interpretation is that there's something in the environment that's affecting the bees. I know that Canadian farmers have stricter regulations around pesticides, and in the States it is a bit more like the Wild West. However, these losses can be cyclical, so there's no definitive answer at this point.' I asked him how our Canadian hives are used and what happens if we did have a major loss like we've seen in the States. 'There's a bit of a knock-on effect," he explained. "Bees go from Ontario to New Brunswick to pollinate blueberries, and when they can't get enough hives out to the East Coast, they might not get good yields, and when the yields are low, the supply drops and the prices go up.' According to Hiemstra, there's no definitive answer regarding the difference between honeybee losses in Canada and those in the U.S. (The Weather Network) Honey prices can also go up, but the situation is more complicated given that it's produced all over the world and markets for it are also similarly spread. 'There are multiple things that play into markets, and Canada generally produces a lot of honey, so we'll export around the world, especially to the States," Chris said. "Now that the United States is … 'changing the rules' …, we have to export to other countries. The western regions, especially Alberta and Saskatchewan, produce huge amounts of honey thanks to limited urban areas and huge fields, so we end up exporting more than we consume. Japan is a big buyer, for example.' I laughed and suggested that at this point it's more of a market thing than a bee loss thing, for now at least. Chris cautioned me about being too optimistic, though. 'In general, the insect populations are going down, and that includes native bees. This winter we had a lot of snow in Ontario, and that often protects overwintering bees. However, overall, the loss of insects seems to be because of habitat loss, and we can do something about it.' He continued, 'If we set aside 10 percent of our yards to be 'natural,' that will go a long way to helping out native species. By natural, I don't mean that you have to go out and buy ten thousand dollars of plants to dig into your yard; just don't mow or touch a small strip of land in your yard. It might look messy, especially in the winter, but it's super helpful for our insects.' Chris underlined the overall issue with one line: 'Bees help us get affordable food to our tables.' He's exactly correct, and losing large numbers of these critical pollinators will have major effects across the agriculture sector and eventually at our grocery stores. Click here to view the video
