Forum Topic

Retrogressing, sadly!

Government to let farmers use bee-killing pesticide banned in EU......Environment secretary George Eustice has agreed to let a product containing the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam to treat sugar beet seed this year in an effort to protect the crop from a virus.Last year a virus significantly reduced sugar beet yields, and similar conditions this year would be likely to present similar dangers, Mr Eustice’s department said.Setting out conditions for the “limited and controlled” use of the pesticide, officials said the minister had agreed an emergency authorisation of it for up to 120 days. British Sugar and the National Farmers Union had applied to the government to be allowed to use it.But the Wildlife Trusts said neonicotinoids pose a significant environmental risk, particularly to bees and other pollinators.........https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bees-kill-pesticide-insect-sugar-neonic-b1784693.html?fbclid=IwAR1PvGOGtKXDdvjX8qHYEocWBPKlgNuEA6ea5xRv7PH3nxsGiN51eSxTH94

Ivonne Holliday ● 1935d5 Comments

It's a real shame that chemicals have to be used in order to defeat a virus and it's truly awful that some living creatures will die in the process. Sound familiar?

Sue Hammond ● 1935d

Sure, we don't need bees."With bee populations declining, farmers in some parts of the world, such as China, have begun to pollinate their orchards by hand." Good for employment.Meanwhile the UK was number 7 in the top sugar-consuming nations in the world in 2019. Consuming well above what we apparently need per day.

David Ainsworth ● 1935d

Unless of course you happen to be a sugar beet farmer.

Andy Pike ● 1935d

Am really sad about this. This Government goes  from bad to worse.

Lucille Grant ● 1935d

Such depressing  news.

Judy Allen ● 1935d