Restrictions to protect Ont. bees

LONDON, Ont. — Pesticide-coated seeds will be allowed on only half of Ontario’s corn and soybean acreage next year as the province tries to mitigate the annual spring die-off of bees.

In a move likely to please beekeepers but anger the Grain Farmers of Ontario, the government outlined the long-promised regulations Tuesday.

The new rules come into effect July 1. They restrict selling and using a group of pesticides called neonicotinoids, which are coatings applied to seed to reduce pest damage in corn and soybeans.

Neonics are derived from nicotine-producing plants and prevent insects from eating seed in the ground, thus improving germination rates and yields.

Some research suggests neonics persist in plants and that bees ingest it while searching for nectar.

Some of the new rules:

During the 2016 planting season, farmers can use treated seeds on only half their land planted for corn and soybeans.

Farmers who wish to use more neonics than that must first prove they have a pest problem.

Starting in 2017, farmers who wish to buy any amount of neonic-treated seeds must demonstrate proof of a pest problem.

Starting in August 2015, seed-sellers will have to get a new licence to sell treated seeds and collect documentation from farmers.