WCVM Research Chair in Pollinator Health

Term: 5 years, beginning in 2021
Status: Ongoing
Researcher(s): Elemir Simko, University of Saskatchewan
SaskCanola Investment: $150,000
Total Project Cost: $750,000
Funding Partners: SK Beekeepers, BC Blueberry Growers, BASF, Manitoba Canola Growers Association

Objective

The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) was the first veterinary college in North America to begin a honey bee research and teaching program, recognizing the high importance of pollinators for the long-term sustainability of agriculture and food security. SaskCanola, together with Western Grains, provided foundational support for this program through research funding. However, despite ongoing honey bee research at the WCVM, Canadian honey bee colony mortality remains at unsustainable levels while the diversity of wild pollinators is in decline. In response to this pollinator crisis, the WCVM is working in partnership with Saskatchewan’s beekeepers to establish a permanent research chair position in pollinator health and biodiversity.

It was announced on June 23, 2022, that Dr. Sarah Wood (PhD, DVM) is the new USask Pollinator Health Research Chair at the WCVM. Wood is a USask alumni who earned Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and PhD degrees from the WCVM, and who has worked on research related to pollinator health since 2015.