Due to increased public interest, the State Plant Protection Service (VAAD) provides information regarding the results of an inspection following a complaint from beekeeper Ignats Zariņš.
On 22 May 2020, the Riga Regional Division of the VAAD received a telephone complaint from Mālpils municipality beekeeper Ignats Zariņš concerning the potential death of bees in relation to non-compliance with the requirements for the use of plant protection products (PPP). A VAAD inspector arrived at the scene immediately (on 22 May). During the inspection, no dead bees were found in the nearby winter rapeseed field or near the hives.
On 25 May 2020, an inspection of PPP usage was carried out at SIA “Ārteči”, which manages the winter rapeseed field mentioned in the complaint. It was established that on 22 May at 13:00, the fungicide “Efilor” was used on the specific winter rapeseed field to control white mould. The label of the PPP used does not contain any instructions regarding specific requirements for bees or other pollinators.
As part of the inspection, information was requested from the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LVĢMC) regarding the average wind speed at the specific time. The statement issued by the LVĢMC indicates that the average wind speed did not exceed 4 m/s.
To verify whether the buffer zone requirement specified on the PPP label (to observe a 10 m buffer zone from water bodies and watercourses) was followed, samples of winter rapeseed were taken from the field within the buffer zone of the Jāņupīte stream. The plant samples were sent to the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “Bior” to determine the presence of active substances contained in the “Efilor” fungicide. The results of the analyses performed indicate that no PPP active substances were found in the plants.
To evaluate the condition of the bee colonies, the VAAD reinspected I. Zariņš’s bee colonies as part of the investigation, inviting an inspector from the Food and Veterinary Service. Similar to the first inspection of the bee colonies, no dead bees were found on the second occasion, and therefore it was not possible to perform analyses on bee samples.
As no violations of PPP usage were identified during the inspection, the VAAD did not initiate administrative proceedings.
The pond mentioned in the complaint, which is located in reality beyond the Jāņupīte buffer zone, 14 metres from the rapeseed field, will be included in the VAAD’s surface water body sampling monitoring for the remainder of the PPP application period this season.