FieldWatch, Inc., a non-profit company that promotes communication and stewardship among crop producers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators, recently announced that Manitoba and Alberta have joined as its second and third provincial members, respectively. Saskatchewan has been a member since 2012.

The membership enables crop producers and beekeepers in the provinces to use a secure, simple online registry to identify and map the locations of apiaries and crop fields that pesticide applicators should avoid. The free and voluntary registries, DriftWatch™ and BeeCheck™, will be available to all Manitoba and Alberta beekeepers and crop producers. FieldCheck® is the online and mobile portal that pesticide applicators can use to improve decision-making and avoid damage from spray drift to crops and beehives.

“The goal is to get beekeepers and crop producers registered through FieldWatch so applicators can access accurate information before spraying,” said Bob Walters, president and CEO of FieldWatch. “This model has been proven to build good stewardship and communication in agriculture.”

Read more information about the launch in Manitoba and Alberta – including why industry buy-in is still a work in progress, especially from beekeepers – in this article from Grainews.