Ontario Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal continues to emphasize that the province’s grain farmers will have access to treated seeds – if there’s a demonstrated need for them.
Leal says that’s one of the 4 key principles behind the government’s proposed pollinator health regulations.
The second principle is implementing the regulations over time, allowing farmers to make the needs assessment on their own fields after a training program being paid for by the province.
The minister says he’s looking for feedback on the how the long-term proposal to have a third-party assessment done can be made practical.
According to Leal, the other principles are engaging agricultural stakeholders in how to make the regulations practical and continuing to monitor and support pest management and pollinator health research.
He says those key principles came out of the earlier consultation sessions and online feedback.
The current proposed regulations are posted online in the Environmental Registry for feedback until early May.
Click here to see more...