Pollinator Protection & Seed Treatments: Fact, Fiction & the Future

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1 Pollinator Protection & Seed Treatments: Fact, Fiction & the Future National Agronomic Environmental Health & Safety School August 21, 2013 Presented by Iain Kelly, Ph.D. Bayer CropScience

Pesticides under Threat: the Buzz NGO Petition to suspend

organized campaign invoking pollinator protection as justifying

particularly neonicotinoid seed treatments, have been a key focus

Campaigns to include fungicides and herbicides Highly Publicized

2 Pesticides under Threat: the Buzz NGO Petition to suspend clothianidin idi filed (Mar 20, 2012) Media Interest There is a well organized campaign invoking pollinator protection as justifying widespread pesticide bans and use restrictions Insecticides, particularly neonicotinoid seed treatments, have been a key focus Activities are expanding Online beyond Activist insecticides Campaigns to include fungicides and herbicides Highly Publicized Scientific Studies Bees are still dying EPA is moving too slowly. Urge Congress to step up. Act Now» Page 1

3 Fact or Fiction? i If the bee disappears from the surface of the Earth, man would have no more than four years left to live. - Albert Einstein Honey bees are on the verge of extinction in North America The health of honey bees threatens our nation s crops Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is the most important disease facing honey bees today Seed treatment and neonicotinoids are responsible for the bee losses seen today Declining bee health is a mystery y and we do not know what to do to improve it Slide 2 Page 2

Role and Value of Pollinators 1 out of every 3 mouthfuls of food we

staple crops do not require insect pollination (e.g.

20,000 bee species act as pollinators The domesticated honey bee is

subspecies of the domesticated honey bee Introduced to the U.S.

4 Role and Value of Pollinators 1 out of every 3 mouthfuls of food we eat and beverages we drink are facilitated by insect pollination Many staple crops do not require insect pollination (e.g. corn, rice, wheat), but many fruits, nuts and vegetables do More than 20,000 bee species act as pollinators The domesticated honey bee is key to agriculture There are seven species of honey bees (Apis) and 28 subspecies of the domesticated honey bee Introduced to the U.S. in early 1600s Will focus on the honey bee as the representative species with the largest dataset Page 3

global food crop production** The crop protection industry rents large numbers of bee colonies for the production of

5 Modern Agriculture Depends both on Crop Protection ti and Pollinators Average global yield losses without crop protection (rice, wheat, barley, corn, potatoes, soybeans, cotton, coffee*) 10% pollinators Economic contribution of pollinators to global food crop production** The crop protection industry rents large numbers of bee colonies for the production of hybrid seeds Page 4 * approx. 50 % of crop area worldwide - Source: Oerke et al., 1995 / Yudelman et al., 1998 * *Gallai et al. 2009

6 Bees are Not Disappearing (Global increase of 45% in the last 50 years*) Trend in Beehive Numbers Across Continents** Asia Africa Europe South America Northern America Central America Oceania *AIZEN 2009 **FAOSTAT ( Page 5

1995 but have stabilized since Previously: Honey and Hive Products Increasingly:

7 The U.S. Honey Bee Industry is Changing Bee colony numbers declined from World War II until 1995 but have stabilized since Previously: Honey and Hive Products Increasingly: Pollination Services Almond pollination requires approximately 1.6 million of the 2.6 million colonies in the U.S. and is a driver of the number of colonies Page 6

8 Status t of Honey Bee Health Are honey bee colonies facing health challenges? - YES! Historical winter losses = 10-15% Current average reported losses = 30-40% Losses up to 100% in some apiaries Almost all colonies are showing health issues Is this a global issue? More significant in Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere less so Australia (no Varroa mite) Africanized honey bees (Varroa tolerant) 20 Avg. % Loss High annual losses are making bee- keeping increasingly i difficult Honey Bee Colony Overwintering Losses Page 7

9 So What is Affecting Bee Health? Scientists are focused on the interaction of multiple factors: Parasites (Varroa; tracheal mites) Nutrition deficiencies Diseases (Nosema; bacteria; viruses) Weather Beekeeping practices Pesticides (hives; agriculture) Genetic weakness Queen issues Page 8

USDA/EPA Report on Bee Health* May 2, 2013 Comprehensive assessment of the major factors contributing to honey bee decline Recognizes Varroa mite as the single most detrimental pest of honey bees and

10 USDA/EPA Report on Bee Health* May 2, 2013 Comprehensive assessment of the major factors contributing to honey bee decline Recognizes Varroa mite as the single most detrimental pest of honey bees and is closely associated with overwintering colony decline Notes multiple diseases associated with Colony Collapse Disorder, many of which are amplified by Varroa Urges adoption of best management practices to enhance bee health Significantly improve genetic diversity in bees Increase nutritional options to lessen susceptibility to stressors Continue understanding of pesticide impacts at field-relevant exposures Greater collaboration and information sharing among stakeholders will facilitate adoption of BMPs and is critical to improving bee health *This report was an outgrowth of the October 2012 National Stakeholders Conference on Honey Bee Health and attended by a wide range of federal and state officials, researchers and others concerned about honey bee colony decline Page 9

11 What About Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) Specific set of symptoms Adult worker bees abandon the hive Queen and brood left behind No dead bees Symptoms occur in only a small percent of colony loss cases No single causative agent identified Adequate monitoring could identify alternate cause in many cases Incidence is largely self-reported CCD? Page 10

12 Causes of Honey Bee Colony Losses. The Beekeepers View A national survey US beekeepers attributed their losses to: Weak colonies in the fall 34% Queen failure 32% Starvation 31% Varroa mites 17% Poor wintering conditions 10% CCD 9% Pesticides 7% Nosema 6% Winter Spring 2012 * Bee Informed Partnership Small Hive Beetle 4% Self reported and no consistent understanding of symptoms. Losses could be attributed to more than one cause. * 11 Page 11

13 Pesticides and Bee Health What We Know Large multi-factorial studies in North America and Europe Poor bee health correlates well with Varroa/bee diseases but poorly with exposure to agrochemicals. Page 12

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Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment Under Fire Modern seed treatments are highly precise applications that minimize environmental exposure of pesticides But seed treatment uses have

exposures are not responsible for colony decline Recent actions are threatening the continued use of these products, which are used on more than 90% of U.S. corn acres Page 13

14 The image cannot be displayed. Your computer may not have enough memory to open the image, or the image may have been corrupted. Restart your computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, you may have to delete the image and then insert it again. The image cannot be displayed. Your computer may not have enough memory to open the image, or the image may have been corrupted. Restart your computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, you may have to delete the image and then insert it again. Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment Under Fire Modern seed treatments are highly precise applications that minimize environmental exposure of pesticides But seed treatment uses have been targeted as a major cause of declining bee health, despite evidence to the contrary Dust abrasion during planting is a potential exposure to foraging bees, but these exposures are not responsible for colony decline Recent actions are threatening the continued use of these products, which are used on more than 90% of U.S. corn acres Page 13

15 Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment Protects the Seed and the Emerging Plant Finishing Colorant Seed core Fungicides Coating Insecticide Wireworms Cut worms Corn rootworms Page 14

16 Value of Neonicotinoid Seed Treatments t Application independent of weather conditions Fewer spray applications Positive effect on plant health and vigor Average corn yield increases of 6-14 bushels per acre ($2-5 bn) Reduced environmental impact due to lower application rates and less area treated Low mammalian toxicity Critical in protecting high-value seed from soil borne and early growth insect damage Page 15

17 Neonicotinoid Seed Treatments and Bee Health - What We Know Neonicotinoid seed treatments have attracted considerable attention as a possible cause of declining bee health but: Neonicotinoids infrequently detected in US bee hives and only at low levels Elevated colony losses are not occurring in Australia where Varroa is absent Many beekeepers whose bees pollinate crops treated with neonicotinoids (e.g. canola) report low annual colony losses Improvements in bee health have not been seen in France following suspension of neonicotinoid use in some crops Field studies have consistently found no adverse effects on colonies when neonicotinoids are applied in the field according to label 16 Page 16

18 Pesticides and Acute Bee Mortality What We Know Overall pollinator health is different from acute bee mortality e.g. inadvertent effects from misuse or off-target movement The entire industry works hard to minimize such effects Tools include technological advances and enhanced stewardship, education, training, BMPs etc. Recent example of abraded dust from insecticide treated seed at planting : Over the last ten years hundreds of millions of acres have been planted with insecticide treated seeds, but there have been very few alleged incidents Nonetheless, multiple stakeholders are working diligently to minimize exposure Page 17

Minimizing Dust Exposure: Multi-stakeholder t ld Involvement Registrants & seed companies: Collaborating on

to replace talc Monitoring treated seed samples for abrasion qualities Ag equipment manufacturers: Developing an

grower communication Reduce exposure via practices adapted d to local l conditions Registering hives,

19 Minimizing Dust Exposure: Multi-stakeholder t ld Involvement Registrants & seed companies: Collaborating on comprehensive stewardship (CLA/ASTA manual) Continuous improvement in seed treatment Developing new lubricants to replace talc Monitoring treated seed samples for abrasion qualities Ag equipment manufacturers: Developing an international standard to guide design of planting equipment to control fugitive dust emissions Beekeeper and grower communication Reduce exposure via practices adapted d to local l conditions Registering hives, restricting bee foraging at planting, moving into areas after planting Academia Independent Corn Dust Research Consortium Page 18

20 Good Stewardship Essential to the Continued Registration ti of these Products Page 19

21 Solution to Bee Health Problems Integrated Varroa Mite management Integrated bee management Improved bee habitat Supportive agricultural policies Good stewardship of pesticides Targeted research Collaboration & Partnerships Page 20

Builds on 25 years of experience promoting bee health: Products to control parasitic mites in honey bee hives Technology to extract

22 Bayer Bee Care Center Opening in 2013 Research facility dedicated to addressing factors affecting bee health Consolidates bee health activities in North America Fosters collaboration on research and education Complements and partners with our European Bayer Bee Care Center Builds on 25 years of experience promoting bee health: Products to control parasitic mites in honey bee hives Technology to extract pesticide residues in beeswax Tests to assess safety of crop protection products to bees Fostering significant ifi improvement in stewardship measures Page 21

Bayer Bee Care Outreach Ambassador Program Trained 200 + employees on key topics related

Mobile tour across Midwest to help promote stewardship and foster collaboration among

23 Bayer Bee Care Outreach Ambassador Program Trained employees on key topics related to honey bee management and health to engage at the local level Bayer Bee Care Tour Mobile tour across Midwest to help promote stewardship and foster collaboration among growers, beekeepers, researchers and other stakeholders concerned about honey bee health Page 22

24 The Future: A Call to Action We will fight on behalf of sound science and our regulatory risk assessment process, but this more than science EPA is under intense pressure to respond to an unending campaign by activist NGOs to ban neonicotinoids And EPA is hearing only one side of the story We are asking you our stakeholders to add your voice in support of modern agriculture and these innovative tools Page 23

25 Fact or Fiction? i If the bee disappears from the surface of the Earth, man would have no more than four years left to live. - Albert Einstein Alarmist rhetoric never uttered by Einstein Honey bees are on the verge of extinction in North America Honey bees are non-native native livestock raised in response to market forces The health of honey bees threatens our nation s crops Honey bees health is critical to our agricultural economy and can be improved Colony Collapse Disorder is the most important disease facing honey bees Neither beekeeper nor bee researchers consider CCD a key factor Seed treatment and neonicotinoids are responsible for bee losses Most scientists agree that there are many factors affecting bee health, but exposure to agrochemicals does not appear to be a major one Declining bee health is a mystery and we do not know what to do to improve it We do and we should Slide 24Page 24

Where to go for More Information General Consumer

@BayerBeeCare @Bayer4CropsUS Bayer s Facebook

com/bayerbeecarecenter Bayer Connect Blog

26 Where to go for More Information General Consumer Questions: BAYER Bayer s Bee Care Website: Bayer s Bayer s Facebook Timeline: Bayer Connect Blog Pesticide Environmental Stewardship on/pages/default.aspx Page 25

27 Page 26 Thank you!

So What is Affecting Bee Health?

So What is Affecting Bee Health? Scientists are focused on the interaction of multiple factors: Parasites (Varroa; tracheal mites) Nutrition deficiencies Diseases (Nosema; bacteria; viruses) Weather Beekeeping