Randy wrote:

> As for seed-treated canola, the Canadians (who grow most of the world's supply) do not appear to have a problem with the neonics. Nor with foliar-sprayed neonics.

Norm Carreck wrote:

> Oilseed rape [ "canola" ] remains one of the most economically important crops in the UK, with more than 600,000 ha being grown each year. It also provides one of the major nectar sources to UK beekeepers. Pest control remains a major problem and the crop therefore remains the greatest potential threat to honey bees from insecticides should the products used change from those currently employed. There is no organic oilseed rape grown, partly due to a lack of market, but primarily due to insurmountable pest and disease problems.

> There is a view that with the growing of food using organic farming systems, the use of pesticides can be entirely eliminated. Although organically farmed land now comprises about 3% of agricultural land in the UK, 85% of it is permanent or temporary pasture, so the proportion of arable land farmed organically is actually negligible. The vast majority of arable land is thus farmed conventionally and the application of pesticides is likely to feature in its management.

Norm Carreck is a member of the Technical Committee of the British
Beekeepers Association, a Committee Member of the Central Association
of Bee-Keepers, a Trustee of the C.B. Dennis Beekeepers Research
Trust, Secretary of the Examinations Board of the National Diploma in
Beekeeping, and am Senior Editor of the Journal of Apicultural
Research.

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