Few realize the Prairie provinces are the leading honey-producing regions in Canada and, indeed, the world. .Even fewer realize how sensitive honeybees are to environmental factors such as drought, cold and pests, or the essential role they play in pollinating crops..That’s why governments in Alberta and Manitoba, along with the feds, are chipping in with financial relief to help beekeepers replenish their hives after particularly high losses last winter..In Alberta, about 50% of hives failed to survive the winter; in Manitoba it was a staggering 57% according to the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturalists (CAPA). Saskatchewan fared slightly better at 35%. . Canada Honey production 2022Alberta is Canada’s leading honey producer .Winter losses in Alberta are typically about 27%, according to the province’s department of Agriculture, and this is the second consecutive year they have exceeded that mark..In fact, the governments are treating it as a ‘disaster’ under joint federal-provincial-territorial disaster response agreements..“Bees are key to Alberta’s agriculture industry. Crop producers rely on them as pollinators, and they produce millions of pounds of honey every year. This program will help our beekeepers mitigate some of their costs after a tough couple winters and continue to produce the honey in demand across the world,” Agriculture Minister RJ Sigurdson said in a statement..Under the Canada-Alberta Bee Colony Replacement Assistance Initiative, the Agricultural Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), will compensate eligible commercial beekeepers that purchased replacement colonies, bee packages or queens between Jan. 1, 2022, and May 1 of this year..No dollar amounts were immediately available for Alberta, but Manitoba apiaries are eligible for about $7.5 million. Eligible costs will be supported on a 60/40 federal-provincial cost-shared basis outlined under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.."Beekeepers and healthy bee populations play a vital role in the sustainable production of many high-value agricultural crops. With support to help overcome this unique sector challenge and recover unexpected colony losses, beekeepers will be better equipped for future growing seasons,” added federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau..Canadian honey producers harvested about 74.4 millions of honey in 2022, down 15% from 2021 and the lowest level since 2009 according to Statistics Canada, amounting to about $253.5 million in sales. .Alberta accounted for about 30.4 million pounds, or 41% of the total. That number was down about 11% from the prior year in Alberta, 17% in Manitoba and 32% in Saskatchewan. .Although all regions of the country have honey production, the Prairie provinces account for four-fifths of Canada's total honey output, with more than half of it exported. Japan was the leading market for Alberta’s honey exports, with 68% of the total ($12.2 million), followed by the United States, with 27% ($4.9 million).
Few realize the Prairie provinces are the leading honey-producing regions in Canada and, indeed, the world. .Even fewer realize how sensitive honeybees are to environmental factors such as drought, cold and pests, or the essential role they play in pollinating crops..That’s why governments in Alberta and Manitoba, along with the feds, are chipping in with financial relief to help beekeepers replenish their hives after particularly high losses last winter..In Alberta, about 50% of hives failed to survive the winter; in Manitoba it was a staggering 57% according to the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturalists (CAPA). Saskatchewan fared slightly better at 35%. . Canada Honey production 2022Alberta is Canada’s leading honey producer .Winter losses in Alberta are typically about 27%, according to the province’s department of Agriculture, and this is the second consecutive year they have exceeded that mark..In fact, the governments are treating it as a ‘disaster’ under joint federal-provincial-territorial disaster response agreements..“Bees are key to Alberta’s agriculture industry. Crop producers rely on them as pollinators, and they produce millions of pounds of honey every year. This program will help our beekeepers mitigate some of their costs after a tough couple winters and continue to produce the honey in demand across the world,” Agriculture Minister RJ Sigurdson said in a statement..Under the Canada-Alberta Bee Colony Replacement Assistance Initiative, the Agricultural Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), will compensate eligible commercial beekeepers that purchased replacement colonies, bee packages or queens between Jan. 1, 2022, and May 1 of this year..No dollar amounts were immediately available for Alberta, but Manitoba apiaries are eligible for about $7.5 million. Eligible costs will be supported on a 60/40 federal-provincial cost-shared basis outlined under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.."Beekeepers and healthy bee populations play a vital role in the sustainable production of many high-value agricultural crops. With support to help overcome this unique sector challenge and recover unexpected colony losses, beekeepers will be better equipped for future growing seasons,” added federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau..Canadian honey producers harvested about 74.4 millions of honey in 2022, down 15% from 2021 and the lowest level since 2009 according to Statistics Canada, amounting to about $253.5 million in sales. .Alberta accounted for about 30.4 million pounds, or 41% of the total. That number was down about 11% from the prior year in Alberta, 17% in Manitoba and 32% in Saskatchewan. .Although all regions of the country have honey production, the Prairie provinces account for four-fifths of Canada's total honey output, with more than half of it exported. Japan was the leading market for Alberta’s honey exports, with 68% of the total ($12.2 million), followed by the United States, with 27% ($4.9 million).
