Saturday, April 20, 2013

Opinion is free but.............


Opinion is free but facts are facts. 
The European Food safety Agency commissioned a panel of over 20 eminent ecologists, chemists, toxicologists and eco-toxicologists to assess 50 or more independent peer-reviewed studies on the issue of bee deaths and neonics. 
They concluded that the evidence was overwhelming.

And indeed - the French did the same thing back in 1999 and they Banned neonics in 2000 after losing over 1 million colonies due to Bayer's imidacloprid insecticide on Sunflowers. 
The ban has never been rescinded.

The French bees recovered and - guess what - 
French farmers are just fine, 

Agriculture did not collapse, 

Farmers did not go bankrupt. 

Germany, Italy and Slovenia have also banned neonics on the basis of 'science-based-policy'.
I suggest you read the EFSA Risk Assessments
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pollinators/documents/EFSAConclusiononNeonicitinoids2013.pdf
Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment for bees for the active substance clothianidin
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3066.htm
Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment for bees for the active substance imidacloprid
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3068.htm
Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment for bees for the active substance thiamethoxam
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3067.htm
Also look at: The House of Commons Environment Cttee Inquiry report:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmenvaud/668/66802.htm
Speaking as a beekeeper who has just lost 8 out of 10 hives, because I live on a farm where neonic treated oilseed rape surrounds me for miles and miles - 

I can tell you that there is no doubt about the science. 
And beekepers did not need the science to tell them that neonics were killing their bees; 
it was obvious back in 1994 in France, 
in America in 2003 
And in the UK today?

The British government is still protesting that there is no "real science" to warrant a ban.

And just how long will they continue to support their industry friends?

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