Look Whos Behind This Large Study to Help the BeesHeather Callaghan According to the ABC, the study will be conducted in order to find connections between the health of the honeybee population and honeybee pests and diseases. However, while the study may seem like a positive that could scarcely be argued against, the truth is that the study will be funded in part by Canadas government and also by major international biotech and agricultural companies such as Monsanto, BASF, Bayer, DuPont and several others. Partial funding for the study comes from Canadas Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (equivalent to the USDA), as the result of a grant which was applied for by the ABC which represents 60% of Canadas honey crop. The study will collect samples from across the country in all 10 provinces and will allegedly be analysed for the most common bee pests and diseases. In addition, apiaries will be sampled for high-risk exotic pests. According to the ABC, the project will document the distribution and intensity of known and potential diseases, pests and parasites in Canadas commercial beekeeping industry. CropLife International is a consortium of Big Agri and biotech companies like Monsanto, DuPont, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences, Syngenta, BASF, FMC Corp and Sumitomo. CropLife International was previously known as Global Crop Protection Federation as well as International Group of National Associations of Manufacturers of Agrochemical Products. Indeed, it appears that the most dangerous bee pests are not lurking near the Canadian beehives, but providing funding for the study itself. With friends like these, the bees need no enemies. It is highly unlikely that the Canadian bee study will produce any valid or productive results. Also See:Look Again: Who is Behind UKs Initiative to Help the Bees? Recent posts byHeather Callaghan: 