Neonic reporting requirements generate confusion

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

by SUSAN MANN

Some Ontario farmers not using neonicotinoid-treated seeds are erroneously being told by seed vendors they must fill out forms reporting their corn and soybeans acres before they can get seeds delivered.

However, an Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson says farmers who aren’t using the treated seeds on their farms don’t need to fill out forms or report their grain corn or soybean acreages.

It’s only farmers wanting to buy and use the treated seeds that must “fill out the required forms,” Bianca Jamieson says by email. “OMAFRA is not aware of such requirements for any other seed purchases.”

The requirement to fill out forms to buy and use the treated seeds is part of changes the Ontario government introduced in July 2015 to phase in restrictions on the sale and use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds. The government wants to cut the acreage planted with treated seeds by 80 per cent by 2017.

Grain Farmers of Ontario has challenged the rules in court and is awaiting a decision appealing an earlier court decision quashing its challenge. Grain Farmers of Ontario chair Mark Brock couldn’t be reached for comment.

As part of the Environment and Climate Change Ministry’s Pesticides Act, the government has the authority to collect information related to neonicotinoid-treated seeds, Jamieson says.

An information sheet on the environment ministry’s website says this year farmers need a written declaration to buy and use neonicotinoid-treated seeds on up to 50 per cent of the total area planted with grain corn seeds and 50 per cent of the total area planted with soybeans. A farmer must complete a soil inspection pest assessment to use treated seeds on an area greater than 50 per cent.

The new rules also mean farmers will only be able to buy and use varieties or hybrids of neonicotinoid-treated seeds that vendors have put on the Class 12 (that’s the class for neonicotinoid-treated seeds) pesticide list. The government is posting the list online by August each year.

Crosby Devitt, executive director of the Canadian Seed Trade Association, says there may be some confusion about the rules because farmers may be using treated seeds on some parts of their farms and not others. There could also be confusion when farmers buy treated seeds from one vendor and untreated seeds from another.

“It’s not exactly the most straightforward set of paperwork here and it’s possible that there’s different interpretations” of the rules, he explains.

“The way we understand it is if you’re not using it (treated seeds), it’s not required to fill out the form,” he says. “As soon as you use any and up to the 50 per cent, then the declaration is needed and over the 50 per cent you need the scouting forms and everything to be submitted.”

Devitt says, “the whole thing is a bit of a paperwork nightmare and it’s very confusing. There are all sorts of different scenarios out there.”

There’s also a lot of frustration among seed vendors, he notes. The seed companies are trying to support customers with good information but “there’s a lot of farmers out there with varying understanding of the regulation.”

Seed companies can’t deliver seeds to farmers until they have the completed paperwork from farmers, who need to provide the forms. Devitt says it could be that some sellers are being overly cautious in requiring non-users of treated seeds to provide completed forms.

In addition, this is the first year the regulation has been in place for planting so seed companies are dealing with the new requirements for the first time.

Jamieson says “this is a new process so it would be understandable that there will be a learning curve.” She adds that the agriculture ministry has been working to keep farmers informed of the new regulation “and support them while they adapt to the new processes.”  

In a related development, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario says in a March 29 press release the government’s 80 per cent reduction goal should be based on the amount of pesticide applied to seeds and not on the number of acres planted with treated seeds. Basing the goal on the pesticide applied means the government’s reduction target could still be reached “although not necessarily by acreage.”

The release says limiting neonicotinoid use without first introducing a safer alternative may lead to the use of pesticides “that may have more adverse effects on pollinators and farmers alike.”

The federation also suggests changing the rules to enable farmers to use the lowest rate of pesticide applied to seeds. The change would give nearly all Ontario farmers who need the protection adequate coverage for their crops and they wouldn’t need to resort to alternative pesticides. It would also decrease the amount of documentation required.

The federation submitted these ideas as part of its response to Ontario’s Draft Pollinator Health Action Plan. BF