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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Peter Armitage <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 16 Feb 2018 06:00:22 -0500
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A year or so ago I was scolded in one of our regional Facebook groups for saying that the issue of GM canola is not a priority for me regarding our beek association activities (all volunteer labour of course). The provincial government had just started to experiment with canola and one of our commercial beekeeping operations put colonies in the field. A provincial government representative said they had sourced non-GMO seed but this assurance was not accepted by some folks in the "organic movement" who don’t trust government, apparently in any way, shape or form.

I note that something like 80% of Canada’s honey crop is from canola (~50 million lb of Grade No 1 white honey from canola in 2009). It is almost impossible for bees to avoid encountering GM plants (Clay, Hivelights, August 2009:14-16).

What happened in Brazil in response to European GMO regulations is of interest.  In the period 2003-2005, the EU's Food and Veterinary Office made onsite visits to Brazilian agricultural units making products of animal origin. After reporting a series of shortcomings regarding Brazilian beekeeper's compliance with EU food quality standards, the EU suspended the import of Brazilian honey. Main issues were traces of pollen from GM plants in Brazilian honey, and the lack of facilities for testing for pollen, antibiotic residues, etc. in the country. Brazil is a major producer of GMOs, so the situation was quite complicated for the country's beekeepers. 

To make a long story short, Brazilian beekeepers got organized so that they could regain access to the European market. With government help, they identified areas free of GM crops and developed a strategy for shifting honey production to these areas. Beekeepers called on the government to establish GMO-free regions to ensure sustained production of honey without traces of pollen from GM plants. ETC.
 
Note that in 2011, the European Court of Justice ruled that honey containing traces of pollen from GM plants must be labelled as a GM product.  This is probably like putting the skull and crossbones on the label as far as some health-conscious consumers are concerned. Whether there is good science behind these regulations or not, the effects are obviously very real for beeks.  New market opportunity?  You want certified GM-pollen free honey in your health food shops? Okay we’ll sell it to you for a premium price. But then, many of us make money off of royal jelly and other honey bee-derived homeopathic remedies. How much of this is snake oil??? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink…

Source for Brazil: J. Tosun and M.M. Marcondes. 2016. "Import Restrictions and Food-safety Regulations: Insight from Brazil." LATIN AMERICAN POLICY. 7(2):377-398.

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