1) Case: The plight of the bumble bee
Farmers are losing money, not due to bad crops but due to the rise in the cost of keeping
or buying bees. Honey bees are disappearing around the globe and no one knows exactly
why. Some observers speculate that toxic chemicals, killer parasites or freezing
temperatures may be to blame. In the winter of 2013, U.S. beekeepers lost 31% of their
bee colonies compared with 21% the previous year. The Canadian Honey Council has
reported an average loss of 35% of bee colonies in Canada over the past 3 years, and
there are no signs of improvement. Similarly, in Britain, bee farmers lost approximately
half of their bee colonies during the winter months.
According to Margaret Ginman, the general secretary of the Bee Farmers’ Association, it
has been one of the worst years in history. Dan Davidson, president of the Ontario
Beekeepers’ Association, has stated that some beekeepers that have lost 70% since last
year, which is a huge amount that can’t be recouped in one season.
Whether or not you eat honey, bees are critical to humans. Bees are pollinating insects
that contribute $200 billion to the agriculture industry globally each year. About one-
third of all the food we eat is dependent on the pollination by bees. Broccoli and almonds
are just a couple of examples. A lower supply of bees and less pollinated crops could
result in higher food prices and food shortages to the general public.
In the case of declining bees, smaller farmers are often harder hit than larger agribusiness,
because they don’t have the capital and resources to bounce back when times get tough.
David Schuit, a honey producer in Elmwood Ontario, was hoping to expand last year
when tragedy struck. One day, he found his bees in ‘terrible agony.’ They were going
around in circles, venom was dripping around their backs, and many were unable to find
their way back to their hives. The Schuit family farm lost 90% of their bees
(approximately 37 million of them) and barely produced half of the honey they normally
made in a year. The result – they had to sell their 100 acre, organic farm because they no
longer had the income to sustain it.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported that the decline in the honey bee
population is a complex problem caused by many variables. Queen bees usually mate
while flying, so an increase in rain or stormy weather may prevent them from moving
around. But there are other factors involved as well. The Schuits and other agriculturists
are blaming the decline of bees due to neonicotinoid pesticides. According to the Globe
and Mail, “these are nicotine-like substances that attack the nervous system of insects.
They are also water soluble, meaning they can be added to the soil and taken in by the
entire plant, making every part of it lethal to bugs.” And they are used across the globe
for many agricultural products.
Soybean, corn and canola farmers, are a few examples, often coating their seeds with this
insecticide. Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency noticed honey bee
deaths often corresponded with corn-planting season. What was the result? After testing
bee populations in the region, researchers found that about 70% of bees had traces of
neonicotinoids.
While the European Union has already passed a 2-year ban on neonicotinoids to try to
recover the bee population, Canada has not yet followed suit. While Beekeeper
Test Bank for Karakowsky and Guriel, The Context of Business, 1e
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Canada Inc. 1
, associations support the ban, grain farmers do not. Since the chemical was approved for
use in 2004, Canadian grain farmers argue it has been crucial to sustaining their business.
Grain farmers estimate that a ban on neonicotinoids would mean more insects and other
pests would damage their crops. Some farmers estimate losses could rise to 13% affecting
higher prices and reducing competitiveness across Canada and the United States.
Other factors are also being looked into. Pesticides are one issue, but there are also the
Varroa mites (from Asia) which seem to invade all bee colonies. And of course,
prolonged winters can have an effect too. Clearly, more research is necessary to
determine what factors are impacting the decline of bees and how farmers can continue to
produce food sustainably and safely now and in the future.
[paraphrased by Natalie Guriel]
(Source: Vidya Kauri and Paul Waldie. No honey, more problems: A catastrophic year
for bee colonies. The Globe and Mail. July 31, 2013.)
Explain which stakeholders are impacted by the decline of bee populations across the
globe and how are they impacted.
Answer:
Stakeholder Impacted by bees
Honey farmers Bee farmers make honey; so a decline in bees,
means more bees may need to be purchased
(increasing production costs) and less honey may be
produced (lowering revenue from honey sales and
affecting overall profitability).
Other farmers Farmers that produce fruits and vegetables need bees
to pollinate their crops. A low supply of bees may
mean higher prices to buy bees or not enough bees to
pollinate the fruits and vegetables; therefore, not
enough crops can be sold for business survival.
The public The public may be affected by higher food prices
due to food shortages and higher agricultural costs.
Governments The government is a regulator and tax collector. It
will want to:
ensure laws and regulations to support farmers and
their businesses
ensure Canada has a strong agricultural industry to
grow the economy and contribute to Canada’s GDP
ensure food safety via regulations
encourage the growth of farming businesses,
entrepreneurs, and small businesses.
Test Bank for Karakowsky and Guriel, The Context of Business, 1e
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Canada Inc. 2
Farmers are losing money, not due to bad crops but due to the rise in the cost of keeping
or buying bees. Honey bees are disappearing around the globe and no one knows exactly
why. Some observers speculate that toxic chemicals, killer parasites or freezing
temperatures may be to blame. In the winter of 2013, U.S. beekeepers lost 31% of their
bee colonies compared with 21% the previous year. The Canadian Honey Council has
reported an average loss of 35% of bee colonies in Canada over the past 3 years, and
there are no signs of improvement. Similarly, in Britain, bee farmers lost approximately
half of their bee colonies during the winter months.
According to Margaret Ginman, the general secretary of the Bee Farmers’ Association, it
has been one of the worst years in history. Dan Davidson, president of the Ontario
Beekeepers’ Association, has stated that some beekeepers that have lost 70% since last
year, which is a huge amount that can’t be recouped in one season.
Whether or not you eat honey, bees are critical to humans. Bees are pollinating insects
that contribute $200 billion to the agriculture industry globally each year. About one-
third of all the food we eat is dependent on the pollination by bees. Broccoli and almonds
are just a couple of examples. A lower supply of bees and less pollinated crops could
result in higher food prices and food shortages to the general public.
In the case of declining bees, smaller farmers are often harder hit than larger agribusiness,
because they don’t have the capital and resources to bounce back when times get tough.
David Schuit, a honey producer in Elmwood Ontario, was hoping to expand last year
when tragedy struck. One day, he found his bees in ‘terrible agony.’ They were going
around in circles, venom was dripping around their backs, and many were unable to find
their way back to their hives. The Schuit family farm lost 90% of their bees
(approximately 37 million of them) and barely produced half of the honey they normally
made in a year. The result – they had to sell their 100 acre, organic farm because they no
longer had the income to sustain it.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported that the decline in the honey bee
population is a complex problem caused by many variables. Queen bees usually mate
while flying, so an increase in rain or stormy weather may prevent them from moving
around. But there are other factors involved as well. The Schuits and other agriculturists
are blaming the decline of bees due to neonicotinoid pesticides. According to the Globe
and Mail, “these are nicotine-like substances that attack the nervous system of insects.
They are also water soluble, meaning they can be added to the soil and taken in by the
entire plant, making every part of it lethal to bugs.” And they are used across the globe
for many agricultural products.
Soybean, corn and canola farmers, are a few examples, often coating their seeds with this
insecticide. Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency noticed honey bee
deaths often corresponded with corn-planting season. What was the result? After testing
bee populations in the region, researchers found that about 70% of bees had traces of
neonicotinoids.
While the European Union has already passed a 2-year ban on neonicotinoids to try to
recover the bee population, Canada has not yet followed suit. While Beekeeper
Test Bank for Karakowsky and Guriel, The Context of Business, 1e
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Canada Inc. 1
, associations support the ban, grain farmers do not. Since the chemical was approved for
use in 2004, Canadian grain farmers argue it has been crucial to sustaining their business.
Grain farmers estimate that a ban on neonicotinoids would mean more insects and other
pests would damage their crops. Some farmers estimate losses could rise to 13% affecting
higher prices and reducing competitiveness across Canada and the United States.
Other factors are also being looked into. Pesticides are one issue, but there are also the
Varroa mites (from Asia) which seem to invade all bee colonies. And of course,
prolonged winters can have an effect too. Clearly, more research is necessary to
determine what factors are impacting the decline of bees and how farmers can continue to
produce food sustainably and safely now and in the future.
[paraphrased by Natalie Guriel]
(Source: Vidya Kauri and Paul Waldie. No honey, more problems: A catastrophic year
for bee colonies. The Globe and Mail. July 31, 2013.)
Explain which stakeholders are impacted by the decline of bee populations across the
globe and how are they impacted.
Answer:
Stakeholder Impacted by bees
Honey farmers Bee farmers make honey; so a decline in bees,
means more bees may need to be purchased
(increasing production costs) and less honey may be
produced (lowering revenue from honey sales and
affecting overall profitability).
Other farmers Farmers that produce fruits and vegetables need bees
to pollinate their crops. A low supply of bees may
mean higher prices to buy bees or not enough bees to
pollinate the fruits and vegetables; therefore, not
enough crops can be sold for business survival.
The public The public may be affected by higher food prices
due to food shortages and higher agricultural costs.
Governments The government is a regulator and tax collector. It
will want to:
ensure laws and regulations to support farmers and
their businesses
ensure Canada has a strong agricultural industry to
grow the economy and contribute to Canada’s GDP
ensure food safety via regulations
encourage the growth of farming businesses,
entrepreneurs, and small businesses.
Test Bank for Karakowsky and Guriel, The Context of Business, 1e
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Canada Inc. 2
