By Alice McFarlane

USask to establish pollinator research chair

Sep 14, 2021 | 3:35 PM

MELFORT, Sask. — The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan wants to establish a research chair in pollinator health.

WCVM Dean Dr. Gillian Muir said it was the first veterinary college in North America to establish a honey bee research and teaching program six years ago lead by professor Dr. Elemir Simko.

“[They’re] striving to really improve honey bee health across the prairies. They’re working to better understand how naturally occurring disease, but also pesticides, affect honey bee colonies and then provide beekeepers with solutions for these problems,” Muir said.

There has been lot of interest from veterinary students to learn more about honey bees and their health. Muir said it has turned into a valuable teaching experience for students, especially around the most serious and damaging brood diseases.

“Certainly, working alongside Dr. Simko and then extending some of this research into further looking at some work on specific diseases, American foulbrood disease and European foulbrood diseases are two very serious diseases that affect bees in Western Canada,” she said.

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BASF Canada has already committed $250,000 to help fund the research chair. Another $500,000 is required before the job search can begin.

“We’re looking throughout the agricultural sector for companies and groups that have an interest in supporting pollinator health and an interest in supporting sustainable agriculture,” Muir said. “Nearly one-third of the food we eat is pollinated by honey bees. So, it’s important that we extend this broadly across the agricultural sector.”

The Western College of Veterinary Medicine hopes to have the funding secured soon so the job can be posted sometime next year.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW