b"NEONICSA Life Without NeonicsWith neonicotinoids under review in Canada, what can Alberta farmers learn from the United Kingdom where neonics are banned? Farmers are experimenting with various agronomy practices for pest control.THE UNITED KINGDOM may no longer be part of theyears. Cereal crops have been easier to manage, but others, like European Union, but the EUs presence still lingers. Followingrapeseed, are challenging and acreage has started to fall. Flea years of environmental regulations crimping farming practices,beetle infestations have been getting worse with larvae now farmers are still finding themselves grappling with EU-enactedbeing found in the stems of the rapeseed plantsunheard of controls, including the ban on neonicotinoid insecticides, whichbefore the ban.flipped regular farming practices upside down. Its not uncommon to split main stems in early spring and find In Britain, farmers have been forced to become creative in30 larvae in the main stem, Cockburn says. In the worst-case trying to protect their crops against pest infestations. Despitescenario, theyre completely severing the main stem, so the their best efforts, the pests still plague them and theyre stuckplant just dies.waiting on science to catch up to the regulations, says Scott Cockburn, business manager for Syngenta Crop Protect in the United Kingdom.The EU regulations date back to 2013 when the European Council placed restrictions on the use of clothianidin,Were getting lots of imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and fipronil, banning their usetheories with all of this. on flowering crops which appeal to honeybees and other pollinating insects. The decision was made based on studiesPeople want to do things which found bees were dying due to the insecticide use. Thethat theyll swear blind at. regulations became more wide-ranging in 2018, with full bans enacted.Scott CockburnAcross the pond the studies on pollinating insects and insecticides have caught Canadians attention. In 2016, the Canadian government first proposed a phase-out of all agricultural uses of neonicotinoids, including products containing imidacloprid, as the insecticides were thought toIn winter cereals, farmers have experimented with agronomic be accumulating in ponds, creeks and other water bodiespractices to try and protect their crops. They have started using near agricultural land. Two years later the same phase-outminimal tillage, although Cockburn says the UK is behind recommendation was made for thiamethoxam and clothianidin.compared to Canada on no-till practices.The decision is still pending. Stubble hygiene has also been tried out, although this relies It's always a concern when these things are under review, andheavily on the use of glyphosate, which is another whole debate. we need to see where things come out, Ward Toma, generalChemical control has been used, but pests, such as aphids, are manager of Alberta Canola, says. The European reviews werestarting to show chemical resistance.mainly based on results from older formulations of neonics, heCover crops have been experimented with. Farmers have notes. However, Toma says the bee issues were caused by olderalso tried seeding at later datesthe crops germinate in colder formulations which have since been addressed, giving himtemperatures, killing the aphids off. Companies have even confidence Canada will base its decision on the latest sciencebegun marketing precision agriculture tools to help determine available. optimal seeding dates to beat aphid attacks.In the UK, farmers have struggled with life after neonics forRapeseed farmers have also been playing around with similar 100seed.ab.ca"