On Bee Day, the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) acknowledge the vital role that pollinators play in maintaining biodiversity.
“If bees were to disappear, we would have guaranteed food for only three years”, explained Rosa Restrepo, a Colombian beekeeper, in the French documentary Une terre sans abeilles.
“Bees of all kinds need our help now more than ever. Their importance to us is beyond measure. We should always do what we can to help bees and support local beekeepers”, stated Russell Gibbs, beekeeper and co-owner of Gibbs Honey in Vankleek Hill.
“The work of the pollinators improves the quality and quantity of the agricultural crops and contributes to the survival and reproduction of plants, as well as the regeneration of forests”, added Normand Riopel, Warden of the UCPR. “It is therefore important to raise awareness and create a buzz about the cause on Bee Day.”
According to the Province of Ontario, 3,000 registered beekeepers operate 100,000 honey bee colonies in the Province. Ontario’s managed honey bees and bumble bees generate about $897 million of the roughly $6.7 billion in sales for agricultural crops grown in the Province each year. This is equivalent to about 13% of the Province’s total annual crop value.