Manitoba beekeepers lose 70% of bees
Manitoba beekeepers are facing a bee shortage and are lobbying the government to change decades-old legislation to help them fight it.
Alan Campbell, president of the Manitoba Beekeepers’ Association, said millions of bees in the province have died over the winter.
Campbell estimates beekeepers have lost as much as 70 per cent of their hives.
“It was a long, difficult winter and that definitely played a part,” said Campbell.
“There are a few known problems with bees, such as parasitic mites, but as to what’s lead to such a large degree of losses this spring, we’re really unsure.”
Manitoba beekeeper Pierre Faure said he has lost millions of bees this winter, and the remaining bees are too weak. Faure said it’s unlikely he will produce any honey this year.
Campbell operates Durston Farms in Dauphin and said he shares the difficulties Faure has been having.
He said the problem is exacerbated by the fact beekeepers can’t import bees from the United States.
Legislation was introduced in the 1980s to prevent Canadian beekeepers from importing U.S. bees due to a disease.
But Campbell said that disease has already shown up in Canada and exporting bees from New Zealand or Australia is extremely expensive. Not only that, but the bees aren’t ready for a Canadian climate.
“There’s a lot of livelihoods at stake. There’s many people who make their primary living from bees,” said Campbell.
“If they don’t have access to new bees, they’re just dying a slow death themselves and going out of business.”
Beekeepers in other provinces are suffering as well. New Brunswick beekeepers saw 25 per cent of their bees die off this season.
The association is now lobbying the government to allow bees to be imported from the U.S.
