1. PMRA update to: Canadian Seed Trade Association Seed Applied Technologies Committee July 11, 2017
Lindsay Hanson, M.Sc.
Policy, Communications and Regulatory Affairs Directorate
Pest Management Regulatory Agency

2. PMRA Update On CSTA Requested Items
Neonicotinoid Re-evaluation Update
Pollinator Review and Incident Report Update
Fungicide Re-evaluations: Status of Thiram and Captan
PMRA involvement with the AAFC Multi-Stakeholder Forum

3. NEONICOTINOID RE-EVALUATION
The re-evaluation of this group of insecticides (imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam) is multi-faceted.
There are three main components
Cyclical Re-evaluation
Pollinator Risk Assessment
Special Review
PMRA Re-evaluation and Special Review Work Plan , published June 30, 2017 (Re-evaluation Note - REV )
Update on the Neonicotinoid Pesticides published June 29, 2017

4. Overview of Neonicotinoid Evaluations Re-evaluations (cyclical):
Initiated as per Section 16 (2) of the Pest Control Products Act
Initiated no later than one year after fifteen years have elapsed since the most recent decision
Imidacloprid cyclical re-evaluation (PRVD )
Human health and environmental assessment (excluding pollinators)
Initiated: April 2009
Proposed decision published November 2016 for 120 days
Phase-out of all agricultural uses and a majority of other outdoor uses
Received approximately 46,000 comments, currently being reviewed
Federal and Provincial government agencies, grower groups, independent researchers, NGOs and manufacturers have undertaken several initiatives;
Examination of alternative risk mitigation strategies
Supplemental water monitoring data
Identification of potential alternative pest control products

5. Re-evaluations (cyclical): cont’d
Supplemental water monitoring data are expected in October 2017
Any compelling science produced in advance of PMRA’s completion of imidacloprid assessment (e.g. monitoring or risk mitigation) will be considered on a case-by-case basis
Targeted completion of the scientific review by December 2017
Targeted publication of final decision by December 2018
Clothianidin and thiamethoxam cyclical re-evaluation
Human health and environmental assessment (excluding pollinators)
Initiated: November 2016
Targeted publication dates available in next workplan update

6. Overview of Neonicotinoid Evaluations Re-evaluations (Pollinators):
Status Update on Pollinator Risk Assessments
REV , published January 25, 2017
Imidacloprid pollinator re-evaluation
Re-evaluation of Imidacloprid - Preliminary Pollinator Assessment (REV )
Published for consultation January 2016
Targeting completion of the pollinator risk assessment by December 2017, with consultation early Targeted publication of final decision in December 2018
Clothianidin and thiamethoxam pollinator re-evaluations
Targeting completion of the pollinator risk assessments by December 2017, with consultation early Targeted publication of final decision in December 2018

7. Overview of Neonicotinoid Evaluations Special Reviews:
Clothianidin and thiamethoxam special reviews
Preliminary analysis - levels & frequency of detection in aquatic environments
Focus on aquatic invertebrates
Initiated: November 2016
Data received from registrants and provincial government agencies
These data along with water monitoring information will be reviewed with a targeted completion of the scientific review by December 2017
Consultations early 2018 with targeted publication of final decision June 2019

8. Overview of Neonicotinoid Evaluations Pollinator Incidents:
Update on Canadian Bee Incident Reports
Overview of the honey bee incident reports received by Health Canada
Published: January 25, 2017
Analysis of honey bee incident data across all years
Causality for each incident- likelihood related to pesticides
Trends and factors contributing to bee incidents
Expected completion: 2017
Hive Monitoring Project
Monitoring: pre-plant, during-plant, post-plant, late season
Hive health information (colony health parameters, viruses, diseases)
Surrounding agriculture and pesticide residues in environment and colonies
Working closely with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
Expected completion: 7

9. Bee Incidents: Pesticide Spray Incidents
Spray incidents constitute a small percentage of the reported bee mortality incidents annually (3–13%)
Variety of pesticides implicated

10. Bee Incidents: Reported during corn and soybean planting
2014: Requirement for use of dust-reducing fluency agent
2014 to 2016: 70 – 80% reduction in during-planting incidents compared to 2013
Symptoms – mainly dead bees

11. Bee Incidents: Reported post-planting in corn and soy growing areas
Post-planting incidents began to be reported in 2013, increased in 2014, lower in 2015 and 2016
Symptoms - mainly colony effects (colony not developing as expected, dwindling, low population, low number of foragers, queen loss, issues establishing queens)

12. Bee Incidents: 2017 update In 2017
All incidents reported to provinces who inform PMRA
Graph shows number of yards reported up to June 23 (Ontario bee yards only)
Aware of an incident in Alberta potentially related to loading of treated pulse seed right next to bee hives. (Details not received by PMRA)
Incidents have not been analyzed for causality

13. Update on Thiram and Captan Re-evaluations
Proposed re-evaluation decisions for a number of fungicides were published for public consultation in 2016
Thiram: February 2016; consultation ended May 2016
Captan: March 2016; consultation ended July 2016
Comments and proposals received during the comment period will be considered prior to making a final decision
Final decisions are expected in 2018
Captan: March 2018
Thiram: June 2018
Published documentation will include
Final registration decision
Summary of the comments and proposals received
PMRA's response to these comments and/or proposals

14. AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD CANADA’S MULTI-STAKEHOLDER FORUM ON NEONICS
PMRA is working closely with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to support their Multi-stakeholder Forum (MSF) on neonics
There are three Working Groups established under the MSF- PMRA participates in all three groups
Work plans were submitted to PMRA by each Working Group:
Alternatives WG
Mitigation WG
Environmental Monitoring WG
All groups have met regularly since February and continue to meet – reports/information from the groups will be accepted until October
This work will help inform the decision with respect to the availability and effectiveness of alternatives, and may provide useful supplementary information with respect to levels found in the environment, and will help to inform decisions on clothianidin and thiamethoxam. That forum is continuing its work to also consider whether there are any risk mitigation measures that could be taken to achieve environmental protection objectives in a similar timeframe.

15. Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency – Contact Information
Phone:
Web site: product-safety/pesticides-pest-management.html