Else Nutrition

Bee Vectoring Technologies' Recent Rutgers University Trial Demonstrated up to 84% Improvement in Disease Control and up to 60% Increase in Crop Yield

09 February 2022

Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc. (CSE: BEE) (OTCQB: BEVVF) (CVE: BEE) (the "Company" or "BVT") today announced the results of the 2021 Rutgers R&D trial in New Jersey to assess the efficacy of BVT's proprietary Vectorite with CR-7 (Clonostachys rosea CR-7), applied with bee vectoring technology against blueberry anthracnose (Colletotrichum acutatum), the most damaging disease pathogen in eastern highbush blueberry production.

The trial was conducted by Rutgers University's Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center and PE Marucci Blueberry Cranberry Research & Extension Center, a leading and grower-trusted research center in the US Northeast, during the 2021 growing season. The objective of the study was to assess efficacy of the BVT system in controlling the development of disease, and the yield of healthy berries after harvest, both critical measures for how long picked berries remain fresh.

Trial results showed BVT's honeybee system and biofungicide had an 8-27% reduction in the disease. The BVT system alone reduced Anthracnose infection in postharvest berries by 27% compared to the control crop (no spray) and 8% compared to the grower standard application. The BVT system alone had better disease control than the current grower standard.

"We are pleased to have had the opportunity to study this new technology," said Dean Polk, Fruit IPM Agent (Professor) and Interim Director at Rutgers University Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center. "Our experience over the past season shows that the technology has promise, and could be instrumental in reducing disease occurrence while maintaining bee health."

The trial also resulted in 11-60% greater yield of healthy berries at postharvest. When the BVT system was used alone, the trial had 11% more healthy berries 10 days after harvest than a standard program, and 60% more than the control crop, which used no protection products. In both cases, BVT's biological fungicide CR-7 used alone showed higher biological efficacy than the conventional (chemical) fungicide programs.

"The results of the Rutgers University trial are yet another proof point for the efficacy of the BVT system in protecting blueberry crops from disease and growing healthier, more marketable berries that last longer after packing and without the need for residue testing unlike with chemical treatments," said Ian Collinson, BVT Sales Manager. "It's also a clear message from a source growers respect that BVT is an effective solution for combating anthracnose. These compelling results will be instrumental to sales efforts currently underway to secure local grower commitments for the upcoming season."

Rutgers University also conducted a grower demonstration on a conventional blueberry farm in New Jersey using the BVT bumblebee system, with even more dramatic results: combining BVT with conventional spray application saw an 84% decrease in anthracnose compared to a spray program alone.

"Rutgers plays a very important role for blueberries in New Jersey," said Ashish Malik, CEO of BVT. "As a leader for agriculture in the state and broader within the US Northeast and Midwest, they have tremendous influence with growers. These positive results coming from a respected authority that farmers trust will have a tremendous impact on our ability to expand further into this important market. We also find that this type of efficacy validation is lending credibility to BVT in other markets."

Blueberries are a major crop in New Jersey. With 9,000 acres(1) of blueberries, the crop is big business in the state, producing 44 million pounds every year and amounting to US$62.4 million(2) in annual revenue.

BVT also announced that it has granted 1,675,000 stock options to directors, employees and consultants of the Company in accordance with the Company's stock option plan. Each option entitles the holder to purchase one common share of BVT at a price of $0.275, for a period of ten years from the date of grant. The options fully vested on issuance.

The Company has also granted 1,120,000 restricted share units ("RSUs") under the Company's shareholder approved restricted share unit plan (the "RSU Plan") to directors and officers. The RSUs will vest upon various agreed upon milestones and shall entitle the holder the ability to acquire one common share of the Company underlying each such RSU by delivering a notice of acquisition to the Company in accordance with the RSU Plan. In accordance with the RSU Plan, the RSUs were priced at $0.275 based on the closing price of the common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange on February 8, 2022.

(1) Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service
(2) Source: New Jersey Department of Agriculture, 2019 Annual Report & Agricultural Statistics

About Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc

BVT, an agriculture technology company, is a market disruptor with a significant global market opportunity in the $240 billion crop protection and fertilizer market. BVT has pioneered a natural precision agriculture system that replaces chemical pesticides and wasteful plant protection product spray applications by delivering biological pesticide alternatives to crops using commercially grown bees. BVT's award-winning technology, precision vectoring, is completely harmless to bees and allows minute amounts of naturally-derived pesticides (called biologicals) to be delivered directly to blooms, providing improved crop protection and yield results than traditional chemical pesticides - and improving the health of the soil, the microbiome and the environment. Currently, BVT has over 65 granted patents, over 35 patents pending in all major agricultural countries worldwide, and has US EPA registration of its Vectorite™ with CR-7 (EPA Registration No. 90641-2) for sale as a registered biological fungicide for use on the labeled crops.

Additional information can be viewed at the Company's website www.beevt.com. To receive regular news updates from the Company, subscribe at www.beevt.com/newsletter.

Company Contact:
Ashish Malik, President & CEO
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Investor Contact:
Babak Pedram, Investor Relations
Virtus Advisory Group
Tel: 416-995-8651
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The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words "may", "would", "could", "should", "potential", "will", "seek", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to the Company, "annual revenue potential", are intended to identify forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect the Company's current views and intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including: planted acres, selling price of competitive chemical pesticides and the US to Canadian dollar exchange rate. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking information to vary from those described herein should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize. These factors include changes in law, competition, litigation, the ability to implement business strategies and pursue business opportunities, state of the capital markets, the availability of funds and resources to pursue operations, new technologies, the ability to protect intellectual property rights, the ability to obtain patent protection for products, third-party intellectual property infringement claims, regulatory changes affecting products, failing research and development activities, the ability to reach and sustain profitability, dependence on business and technical experts, the ability to effectively manage business operations and growth, issuance of debt, dilution of existing securities, volatility of publicly traded securities, potential conflicts of interest, unlikelihood of dividend payments, the potential costs stemming from defending third-party intellectual property infringement claims, the ability to secure relationships with manufacturers and purchasers, as well as general economic, market and business conditions, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's Filing Statement dated August 14,2020, filed with the CSE and securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com. Should any factor affect the Company in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, the Company does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law. All figures are in Canadian dollars.

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