Obviously bees are a number one pollinator, so depending on the crop—certainly the fruit crops, the vegetable crops, flowering crops. When you think of a pretty flower, bees are critical in pollinating those crops, which is basically the transfer that creates yield. So they are critical to us.
Do we have a vested interest? I would go back. The Grain Farmers of Ontario, at our semi-annual meeting in March, actually organized a panel, brought in experts, not just from Ontario, OMAF, but certainly the federal government, the PMRA, and also individuals from the United States, with their experience at Purdue University, to address our delegates and inform them about what was going on.
We have worked with the PMRA to establish best management practices.
We've written four articles in our magazine addressing to our farmers the considerations they should take when planting their crop, and we have also posted those best management practices on our website. We've instructed our elected delegates to speak to this every time they have a farmer meeting.
So do we have a vested interest? Absolutely. Are we taking steps in terms of best management practices? Yes, we are.