As of July 1, 2015, the Ontario government’s new regulations to reduce neonicotinoids come into effect. Read the new regulations here.
The OFA has supported and consistently advocated for a broad pollinator health strategy.
During the consultation process, the OFA submitted a formal response to the government’s Pollinator Health Strategy discussion paper and to the proposed regulations, outlining a sound alternative to the regulation. Read our full submission here. In the submission, OFA pronounced the proposed regulations as unworkable.
When the Ontario government moved ahead with changes to the Pesticides Act to restrict the use of neonic-treated corn and soybean seed, the OFA recognized the importance of working with the government to ensure their regulatory intentions would still be workable for Ontario farmers.
OFA made some progress reducing the regulatory burden for farmers and the seed industry, before the government unveiled the new rules for protecting pollinators on June 9, 2015. Under the new legislation, seed dealers on the farm are not regulated and transporting neonic-treated seed isn’t restricted.
The new regulations are a burden with very short implementation timelines. OFA’s work continues.
We will work closely with government and industry to make these regulations workable – with better detail and more flexibility around implementation. And we will continue to push for a comprehensive pollinator strategy that works for everyone in the province.