Dear John,

The deadline for the government to publish its national action plan on pesticides is fast approaching.

Almost 250,000 of you have already signed our petition to demand a target to reduce the use of pesticides. If you want to protect wildlife and our own health from pesticides, please add your name too.

We’re handing in the petition this Wednesday while we still have a chance to shape the pesticides plan, so please sign today.

You may have heard that the UK government just gave a banned bee-killing pesticide the temporary go-ahead for the fourth year in a row.

The neonicotinoid pesticide was banned for harming bees, other wildlife and for polluting rivers. The ban has been lifted for sugar beet, but this shouldn't be necessary. The government has had plenty of time to support the industry to find safe alternatives.

An effective national action plan could help stop this annual farce. And support farmers to end the use of bee-toxic chemicals for good.

So please sign our petition today. And help us reach a quarter of a million signatures before we hand it in on Wednesday 7 February.

Thanks for your support.

Sandra,

Campaigner, Friends of the Earth