BAN Neonicotinoids: Save our Bees.
- by: San Diego Beekeepers Society
- recipient: U.S. Government
WANT TO EAT?
· One-third of the human diet comes from plants that needs bees to pollinate their flowers: Over 90 or our tastiest flowering crops rely on bees such as: Cashews, Celery, Beets, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Almonds, Avocados, Apples, Oranges, Cabbage, Watermelon, Coffee, Limes Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Squash, Lemon, and more…
- 80 percent of all flowering plants are dependent on insect pollination.
We the undersigned,
Request a ban on all nicotine-based pesticides that are applied to our agricultural crops and sold in stores for application on private and commercial plants. These nicotine-based pesticides known as: NEONICOTINOIDS are the reason for BEE Decline and Colony Collapse Disorder.
IMIDACLOPRID, ACETAMIPRID, CLOTHIANIDIN, NITENPYRAM, THIACLOPRID, and THIAMETHOXAM - are nicotine-based systemic pesticides which create lethal and sub-lethal impacts on bee larvae, reproduction impacts on the queen bee, and physiological effects on all bees that impact their enzyme activity leading to impairment of memory, navigation and feeding behavior. The U.S.. EPA identifies both imidacloprid and colthianidin as highly toxic to honey bees.
POLLINATION CAN BE DEADLY!
Insecticide sold and made by Bayer and Syngenta, also apply these nicotine-based pesticides to the seeds. This creates a condition where the pesticide moves through a plant’s vascular system and includes the pollen that bees collect to feed to their young.
Furthermore, in January 2011 research released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Bee Research Laboratory and Penn State shows that the neonicotinoid insecticides like imidacloprid contribute –at extremely low levels– to bee deaths.
European countries are beginning the process of banning these pesticides; in 2009 Italy's neonicotinoid-free corn sowing resulted in NO CASES of Colony Collapse Disorder in Bee Apriaries; and in 2009 France banned these pesticides from their Sunflower crops which also resulted in NO CASES of Colony Collapse Disorder in Bee Apraries.
It is time for the United States of America to lead the charge and demand our chemical companies to use better science in killing pests NOT BEES! Ban Neonicotinoids now! OR Loose 90 of our most popular fruits and vegetables or 1/3 of all crops which rely on bees for pollination.
Please consider the science... We need to SAVE OUR BEES, ban these pesticides and keep our food industry thriving with healthy bee pollinators for all.
Thank you for your time.
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