Alberta join group that monitors apiaries near crop fields

A non-profit company that promotes communication and stewardship among crop producers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators has welcomed Alberta as the third provincial member.

FieldWatch also includes 27 states, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the District of Columbia.

The membership will enable Alberta hobbyists and commercial beekeepers, as well as organic and conventional crop producers, to use a secure, easy-to-use online registry to identify and map the locations of apiaries and crop fields that pesticide applicators should avoid.

The free and voluntary registries, DriftWatch™ and BeeCheck™, will be available to all Alberta beekeepers and crop producers.

FieldWatch President and CEO Bob Walters said FieldCheck® is the online and mobile portal that pesticide applicators can use to improve decision-making and avoid damage from spray drift to crops and beehives.

“The goal is to get beekeepers and crop producers registered through FieldWatch so applicators can access accurate information before spraying,” Walters said. “This model has been proven to build good stewardship and communication in agriculture.”

Alberta’s membership decision was especially driven by the needs of producers and beekeepers who wanted to register the locations of their crops and apiaries, according to Dr. David Feindel, Director of Plant and Bee Health Surveillance, Alberta Agriculture & Irrigation.