Co-operation among farmers, farm equipment makers, bee keepers and government has accomplished a lot to improve pollinator health, says Allan Campbell of Dunston Honey Farms of Dauphin, Man.While more needs to be done, “significant improvements have been made that have mitigated pesticide exposure risks to bees,” said Campbell, who was speaking to the annual general meeting of the Canadian Horticultural Council on behalf of the Canadian Honey Council. “Working together with all those involved in the agriculture sector, we are confident that more successes will be achieved.“Accusations of blame do not provide an environment that welcomes new and innovative solutions,” he said. “We will continue to work together with all parties to ensure optimum bee health.”His comments came before Federal Court Justice Catherine Kane turned down a bid by the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency to terminate a legal action by environmental groups opposed to the use of neonic pesticides.Kane said new evidence could be admitted in the case, which began with a hearing last November. It was not immediately known when further court action in the case might occur.A PMRA spokesman said he could not comment on the judge's April 11 decision because the action is still before the courts. PMRA is part of Health Canada whose “primary goal in regulating pesticides is to protect Canadians' health and their environment.”Health Canada has phased out one neonic pesticide imidacloprid and is conducting special reviews of clothianidin and thiamethoxam, the two other used in Canada. There is a lengthy explanation of the review process on the Health Canada website.Corn and soybean growers plant neonic-coated seeds to prevent damage by wireworms and other pests in the soil. Neonic dust from corn planting in Ontario in 2013 was blamed for a drop in the provincial bee population. Mitigation measures devised by farm groups and approved by PMRA in 2014 have reduced bee deaths by up to 80%. Neonic pesticides are widely used in Western Canada where the bulk of the country's bee colonies are located without similar complaints as have arisen in Ontario.The department cited the risk neonics pose to “aquatic invertebrates, including insects, as they are being detected frequently in aquatic environments.” However they don't pose a risk to bees.Commenting on Justice Kane's decision to allow new evidence in the case, Lisa Gue of the David Suzuki Foundation said, “Neonicotinoids should never have been registered for use in the first place. Now, after more than a decade of large-scale use in agriculture, widespread environmental contamination threatens biodiversity and ecosystems.”The suit, which is supported by Friends of the Earth Canada, Ontario Nature and the Wilderness Committee, wants PMRA's conditional approval of neonics to be declared unlawful.In his presentation, Campbell noted that although Alberta has almost 40 per cent of the country's bee colonies, it has only 13 per cent of the bee keepers.Saskatchewan and Manitoba have 14.5 per cent and 14.1 per cent of colonies and 10 per cent and 7 per cent of the beekeepers, respectively.By contrast Ontario has 13.3 per cent of the colonies but 32 per cent of the beekeepers while B.C. 25 per cent of the beekeepers and just 8.6 per cent of the colonies. Quebec has 8 per cent of the colonies and 3 per cent of the beekeepers.The number of colonies in Canada rose to 789,598 in 2017 compared to 597,890 in 2004 while the number of keepers has increased to 10,544 in 2017 compared to 7,925 in 2004.Honey production last year was worth $188 million almost $200,000 more than in 2016.A 2016 study showed the estimated value of honeybee pollination to the production or fruits and vegetable was worth about $720 million, he said. For crop production, the figure is estimated at $2.6 billion especially for canola.Campbell said that farmers need to work with beekeepers to time pesticide applications so they have the least impact on bees and other pollinators. An obvious precaution is not to spray blooming crops if there are pollinators foraging on them.Pollinators are not required for many field crops including grains.Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.