AgriRecovery initiative supports Alberta’s beekeepers

Alberta is Canada’s most important honey-generating province and relies on bees as important pollinators and as a steadily escalating sector of the agriculture sector. In excess of the 2021-22 winter season, Alberta’s beekeepers experienced substantial losses due to serious chilly climate and varroa mite infestations. Some described losses were as substantial as 50 for every cent.

The Canada-Alberta Bee Colony Replacement Guidance Initiative, an AgriRecovery program sent by Agricultural Fiscal Services Corporation (AFSC), will compensate qualified business beekeepers that purchased substitute colonies, bee offers or queens in between Jan. 1, 2022, and Could 1, 2023.

“Beekeepers and healthful bee populations enjoy a essential function in the sustainable output of lots of large-worth agricultural crops. With assist to support overcome this distinctive sector challenge and recuperate unpredicted colony losses, beekeepers will be better outfitted for long term expanding seasons.”

Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food items Canada

“Bees are crucial to Alberta’s agriculture sector. Crop producers count on them as pollinators, and they produce thousands and thousands of lbs . of honey each and every year. This plan will support our beekeepers mitigate some of their charges immediately after a hard pair winters and carry on to deliver the honey in desire across the earth.”

RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

AgriRecovery is a federal-provincial-territorial catastrophe reduction framework to assistance agricultural producers with the expenses linked with recovering from catastrophe situations. Suitable prices will be supported on the 60/40 federal-provincial expense-shared basis outlined under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

“The Alberta Beekeepers Commission is grateful for the work and assistance of Agriculture and Irrigation and Agriculture and Agri-Food items Canada in advocating on the commission’s behalf pursuing one of the most devasting overwintering losses in 2021-22. AgriRecovery will support our eligible producers to get better, making back to a practical and thriving beekeeping sector.”

Connie Phillips, executive director, Alberta Beekeepers Fee

“We are very pleased to assist Alberta’s beekeepers as a result of this AgriRecovery initiative. We understand the impacts the serious chilly climate and varroa mites had on our beekeepers, and AFSC proceeds to do everything we can to guarantee they receive the assistance they need.”

Darryl Kay, chief govt officer, Agriculture Monetary Services Company

Software requirements

Registered commercial beekeepers with 100 or additional colonies under Alberta’s Bee Act may well be qualified for payment to mitigate amazing prices related with purchased colony, bee packages or queens involving Jan. 1, 2022, and Could 1, 2023.

Accomplished software types and all supporting documents are thanks by July 31. An AFSC identification range is expected. Candidates may well submit their applications via AFSC Link on the internet, in human being at a branch workplace or by fax.

Swift facts

• Wintertime losses in 2022 were 49.9 per cent, well above Alberta’s common winter season losses of about 27 for each cent.
• Alberta provides additional honey than any other province, accounting for nearly 41 per cent of Canada’s 2022 overall.
• Very last calendar year, Alberta beekeepers developed more than 30 million lbs . of honey, down practically 11 per cent from 2021.
• In 2022, Alberta international exports of honey totalled $18 million, up 49.3 for every cent from 2021.
• Japan was the primary market for provincial honey exports, with 68 per cent of the overall ($12.2 million), adopted by the United States, with 27 for every cent ($4.9 million).

For additional information and facts, speak to AFSC using online chat, simply call our Consumer Treatment Centre at 1.877.899.2372, email [email protected] or make contact with your preferred branch business.