The Ontario government this week tabled a regulation to permanently reduce 80 per cent of the bee-harmful neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticides used on corn and soy seed by 2017.
That made Ontario the first North American jurisdiction to permanently restrict usage of the pesticide (for neonic-coated corn and soy seed).
It also brought a salute from Friends of the Earth Canada.
“Saving bees is the most compelling environmental mission in decades,” said Beatrice Olivastri, of Friends of the Earth Canada. “Ontario is getting it right and demonstrating leadership at a continent-wide scale.”
That group’s polling indicated Ontario’s residents, rural or urban, strongly support government action to save bees.
“Ontario is to be congratulated,” said Olivastri. “It identified the opportunity with the greatest potential for saving bees and took action. Designating neonic-coated seeds as pesticides under the provincial Pesticides Act is the right step.”
The law ensures bee-harmful pesticides can no longer be used to coat seeds “just in case” they’re needed. Only farmers who can prove they have a pest challenge will be able to use the pesticide. That means that uncoated seeds should be readily available to the majority of farmers.
For the past three years, Friends of the Earth has argued widespread use of seed coatings is unnecessary.
In addition to its focus on neonicotinoids in agriculture, Friends tested garden supply and plant nursery products for neonics.
Testing last summer showed over half of the nursery plants considered to be “bee friendly,” in fact, contained bee-harmful pesticides. The Friends’ “Gardener Beware” campaign advises gardeners to buy only neonic-free plants.
Friends of the Earth encourages everyone to do their part to save bees by stopping the use of bee-harmful neonics—as a farmer or home gardener.
