BEAMSVILLE - Tim Hudak, MPP for Erie-Lincoln, called on the Minister of Agriculture today to provide funding for Niagara beekeepers, who are suffering through financial hardships following an unprecedented decline in the honeybee population.

Some beekeepers in Niagara are reporting losses of up to 90 per cent of their hives. Although honey is a major industry in itself, Ontario honeybees play a more significant role in pollinating a number of fruit and vegetable crops across Canada and the United States.

In a letter to Leona Dombrowsky, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Hudak requested the Minister come to the aid of Ontario beekeepers and provide funding to help them replenish their hives.

“This is one of the first tests of the greenbelt legislation,” Hudak said, “to see if real protection exists for those who drive the agricultural sector in our province.”

OMAFRA announced last month it will partner with the University of Guelph to research the cause of the diminished population of bees, though no specific dollars have been allocated to date. Hudak said the partnership should prove to be useful in the long-term recovery planning if the Province makes a significant financial contribution, but the ministry must also assist beekeepers in the short-term to ensure they can sustain their business through this difficult period.

The Ontario Beekeepers Association (OBA) is scheduled to meet with the Minister on May 28, at which point the Association will formally request financial assistance for beekeepers across Ontario. Hudak requested the Minister listen to the OBA members and respond favourably to their request.

“Most beekeepers have taken a serious financial hit, having to purchase bees and hives to replenish their operations,” Hudak said. “Some don’t have the funds to buy back in and face bankruptcy as a result.”

Hudak recently took a tour of the Charlie-Bee Honey facility in Beamsville, which is owned and operated by Charlie Parker. Parker, who also raises bees to produce honey, makes his living selling bees to pollinate farmers’ crops in Canada and the United States. He said about 80 per cent of his bee population has disappeared this year.

“Niagara has been the hardest hit in Ontario by this unexpected plunge in the honeybee population,” Hudak said. “The repercussions could be far reaching into the fruit and vegetable industry if action is not taken on this matter as soon as possible.”

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For further information:
Tim Hudak, MPP Erie-Lincoln