This is a pretty new initiative. I think there are a number of factors. As was alluded to previously, one of our major commodities in this region is lowbush blueberry, and it is a growing industry. As was also mentioned, there's a strong relationship between pollinators—honeybees—and that industry, so there's an understanding that we need more information.
There's also growing interest in beekeeping in the area. On our campus we have a modern beekeeper extension course that's offered throughout the summer for four different modules over four different weekends from March to September, I believe, and it's been sold out over the past three years with a cap of 25 students.
There's a lot of interest in beekeeping, but few avenues to get training and education. I'm the only entomologist on my campus. I'm the only person who does any work with bees. There's an understanding that we need other people to do that type of research and outreach, so the provinces collectively got together with producers—growers and beekeepers—academics, and our current extension people to create these two positions to work on pollination issues with beekeepers and growers.
The problem is that it's only for the next 20 months or so, so we're going to have to acquire more funding for that going forward.
Again, it's just the recognition that there's a lot of interest growing. There's a lot of need, and not a lot of sources to get that information from. I think Canada in general really lags behind in the extension area in many different sectors, not just beekeeping. There's a real need to create that research and the extension education as well.