Apicultural Law in Chile: A discussion on pollination
"If the bee disappeared from the planet, the man would only have 4 years to live"
Albert Einstein
Of all it is known that humanity is concerned about the low population of bees and other pollinating insects due to the use of pesticides, which has forced the pesticide registration agencies to request more and more information on the toxicity of chemical products. There is intense control over these products and their applications as a way to prevent risks in nature.
In this area, insecticides are the most harmful pesticides for the life of pollinators, followed by fungicides and finally herbicides. However, not all pesticides affect these pollinators, they are actually harmless and they are the ones that should be treated if they are used mostly, although the ideal would be to reduce their use so as not to continue affecting the natural environment.
There are a good number of insecticides that seriously affect the population of bees and other pollinating insects, for example, the new insecticide inhibitors of insect growth.
All this is contemplated to regulate in the new Apicultural Law that must be implemented in Chile in the near future, and that is currently in full discussion, however, there are already detractors.
Melisa Pizarro, spokesperson for Apivalpo AG, an organization that groups together beekeepers in the V region, denounces that current legislation only requires that when applying a pesticide, people and beekeepers within a radius of 200 meters be notified, which - in his opinion - is insufficient. He states that beekeepers are concerned that this spirit is maintained in the new Law.
"It does not say that they have to warn the bees or the beekeepers that are nearby, nor stipulate neither distance nor date. We as beekeepers what we are raising in that article, is to be notified with 72 hours in advance and that is what we have not taken into account", he denounced.
It is worth mentioning that this rule that governs the activity was drawn up 50 years ago, which is why the union is asking that it be adjusted to the current reality.
So far, three bills have been presented, which have not been successful and currently a substitute indication sent from the Executive is in the Senate Agriculture Committee, which was no longer well received by beekeepers, considering it sanctioning and lack of promotion, as explained by Gabriel Salas, vice president of the National Beekeeping Federation.
"That sanctioning view is maintained, in excess regulatory, is not yet visualized as those rules or provisions that are presented in this bill can actually promote the sustainable development of the activity, protect beekeeping, protect bees“Salad Salas, adding that forest fires and the reduction of native forests also affect the life of bees.
Both organizations denounce that the legislation that regulates the breeding and work with colonies of bees is already obsolete, because it has been in existence for more than half a century and no updates have been made on the use of pesticides and pesticides, which affect the activity of beekeepers . The new legislation must also contemplate aerial spraying, which must give notice to the people in charge of the hives, even if the chemicals are applied more than 200 meters from them, they say.
The protection of pollinators is indispensable at present. It is an indispensable service that nature provides and man has no alternative but to encourage and protect it.
Source: Blueberries Consulting - Martín Carrillo O.
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