In the Maritimes, wild blueberry production depends on insect pollination and beekeepers play an important role in making that possible. Because honey bees are the main pollinator used in wild blueberry fields, the relationship between blueberry growers and beekeepers is very important to the industry’s success. Events like the WBPANS field day help strengthen that partnership and highlight important work happening in the industry.
Review of the 2026 WBPANS Field Day
June has been an eventful month for the Atlantic Tech
Transfer Team for Apiculture! This week on Wednesday June 24th,
ATTTA attended the Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia (WBPANS)
annual field day in Onslow. This field day provided an opportunity for
producers to engage with new products, industry updates, and advanced techniques
all related to the wild blueberry industry.
The morning began with registration, followed by an overview
of the day’s events. Attendees then travelled to a local producer’s blueberry
fields, where, along with blueberry specialist Hugh Lyu (Perennia), the impact
of last year’s drought was discussed. This also included a mention of the
impacts on wild blueberry production of this spring’s colder than average
weather. This set the tone for the group to tour the Wild Blueberry Research Institute,
learning about ongoing research projects from Dr. David Percival (Dalhousie
University). The morning taught producers and beekeepers more about the current
struggles happening in the industry, research on wild blueberry production, and
provided the chance to ask questions directly to industry experts.
After returning to the main venue, River Breeze Farm,
participants spent the rest of the morning viewing trade show exhibits, which
featured equipment suppliers, agri-businesses and research groups. This experience gave attendees the chance to
connect directly with service providers and build up an appetite. Lunch was
catered by Sizzlers BBQ, which included a delicious wild blueberry crumble for
dessert.
Following lunch, opening remarks from the WBPANS president
Andrew Dobson, were followed by greetings from The Honourable Greg Morrow,
Minister of Agriculture. The Minister recognized both the importance and the
challenges of the wild blueberry industry. The WBPANS executive director,
Janette McDonald, provided updates on the WBPANS organization. Hugh Lyu
delivered an industry overview, discussing struggles producers have faced over
the last year, and indicated that there is an optimistic expectation for wild
blueberries this year. It was predicted,
looking at the current situation, that the Nova Scotia crop yield may be 30-40
million pounds.
Figure 2: Andrew Dobson, President of the Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia (ATTTA ©, 2026)
Following the speakers, attendees moved outdoors for field
demonstrations, and equipment displays. ATTTA hosted a display which focused on
how to set up an electric fence to protect honey bees and bumble bees in areas
with high bear pressure. This included how baiting techniques are used to train
wildlife about fences, proper grounding for reliable fence performance, and
considerations for placing honey bee and bumble bee colonies in wild blueberry
fields, including recommended distances between them (100m). These
demonstrations highlight to producers the importance of protecting hives, how
to reduce wildlife conflicts and how to support pollination for wild
blueberries.
The WBPANS Field Day was another successful event, with help
of producers, researchers and industry partners to show support for the
industry of which they are part. The turnout was amazing, with 214 people
registered for the event! Thank you so much to the Wild Blueberry Producers
Association of Nova Scotia for hosting such a great field day!
Written by Kaitlyn Newton, ATTTA Seasonal Apiculturist
Connecting with ATTTA Specialists
If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:
visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/
Email attta@perennia.ca