Interview with BASF Biologist Dr. Roland Becker

Date:07-22-2011

In Europe and North America, beekeeping continues to be affected by noticeable losses of managed honeybee hives. This has led to a high degree of scientific, regulatory, public, and political awareness about the relationship between crop protection products and bee health. Biologist, Dr. Roland Becker, has been working at BASF for 25 years. For the last 10 years, he has been working in the ecotoxicology department, conducting and monitoring studies on the side effects of crop protection products on animals. The Western honeybee (Apis mellifera) continues to be one of the most important species in agriculture and biodiversity.
 
Dr. Becker, why are honeybees so important for agriculture?

Honeybees are the most relevant pollinators in agriculture worldwide. After all, estimates from different sources indicate that up to one third of the human food supply depends on animal pollinators with honeybees pollinating many crops. In particular, they are the primary pollinator for speciality crops, like pome and stone fruits, nut crops, berries and vegetables. In modern agriculture, the demand for commercial pollination services continues to increase steadily with honeybees fulfilling more than 90 percent of that demand. For instance, almond production in the USA relies completely on managed honeybee pollination. In addition to agriculture, honeybees contribute to general biodiversity by pollinating a large number of wild flowering plants.
 
Why is BASF interested in protecting bees?

As I explained, bees play a crucial role in the production of agricultural goods. Since BASF develops solutions to support agricultural production, it is, of course, in our own interest to protect bees as well as eco-systems in general.

However, this issue is even more fundamental and lies at the core of our commitment to farmers and to society at large. If we are to provide solutions for sustainable agriculture, bee protection needs to be secured.
 
Are crop protection products implicated in bee mortality?

If crop protection products are used, according to label instructions, they do not put honeybees at risk. Clearly, there have been incidents in the past due to either misuse or the inferior quality of treated seeds. These incidents can and must be avoided, but they should not lead to general doubts about the safety of crop protection products. When it comes to the question of why honeybees are declining, I am convinced that the cause of abnormally high colony losses in the EU, and Colony Collapse Disorder in the USA, is multi-factorial and is not yet fully understood. Several studies and scientific reports indicate that parasites, diseases, nutrition and beekeeping practices play a role. However, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that crop protection products cause these problems. To what extent crop protection products might contribute remains under constant scrutiny. While these investigations make sense to me, we should not forget to tackle some of the major causes that have already been identified, especially the Varroa mite and the need to provide season-long nutrition for bees.
 
What about the incidents of bee mortality due to crop protection products?

Of course, the misuse of insecticides can harm bees - incidents have been reported in the past. Therefore, strict practices are prescribed to ensure that this does not occur. Some products, for example, are prohibited during the flowering season, and others can only be applied as seed treatments in order to minimize exposure to bees. Companies and advisors are involved in training users and raising awareness about the correct use of crop protection products.
 
How does BASF ensure that crop protection products do not negatively impact bee health?

Here in our ecotoxicology department, we investigate the side effects of crop protection products on living organisms, including animals, plants, and biocenoses. These products undergo many years of extensive and stringent testing to ensure that there are no adverse impacts on the environment, including honeybees. In addition to regulatory requirements, BASF has also defined and implemented product stewardship measures, which contribute to the protection of honeybees – for example improved labeling, training on correct application and quality charters for seed treatment. Bee protection also drives the development of different product formulations. For example, our researchers have developed innovative formulations for soil-applied crop protection products that minimize exposure to bees.
 
What proactive action does BASF take to support bee health?

BASF has already established a European-wide network for scientific collaboration. In Germany, for instance, we support research projects, investigating the causes of increased honeybee colony losses. BASF also works on new products to control bee pests, pathogens and diseases as well as supporting biodiversity projects, designed to improve the habitat quality for bees, insects, and other wildlife species. For example, we facilitate initiatives like the Bee Biodiversity Network in France (French Website). They work to improve nutrition for bees, using bee fallows to enhance conditions for bees and other pollinators.

Source: BASF news release