John,
The company Bayer makes products for the agriculture industry -- but one of its products actually kills nature's most valuable crop producers: Bees.
Neonicotinoids, a class of toxic, bee-killing pesticides, are found in some of Bayer's products. Neonics are one of the main culprits behind mass bee die-offs and the alarming risk of extinction for many bee species.
Companies such as Bayer can make a big difference for bees by committing to end their sale of products containing neonics. Send a message today.
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Neonics are sprayed on thousands of acres of cropland each year, catching many pollinators by deadly surprise. Bees go to land on a plant for food or rest, and in the process give crops the vital pollination they need to thrive.
But if a bee lands on a plant drenched in neonics, it can suffer an attack on its central nervous systems, causing overstimulation, paralysis and even death. Sometimes, bees carry neonics back to their hive, putting the entire colony in danger.[1,2]
Bees are a vital part of our food system, and without them, we could feel a ripple effect on our farms, grocery stores and dinner plates. No more bright, buzzing bees could mean the disappearance of some of our favorite foods.
Bayer should do the right thing for us and for the bees by ending its use of neonics in its products. But we need your help to convince the company to do so. Add your name.
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Tiny bees have a huge impact. Bees pollinate more than 70 out of the 100 crops that make up the vast majority of the world's food. When bees are at risk, it's no small issue.[3]
Honeybee keepers reported losing nearly half of their hives in 2022 in one of the deadliest seasons ever.[4] And wild bees are suffering, too: Populations of the rusty-patched bumblebee and western bumblebee are in steep decline, and the American bumblebee has completely disappeared from 8 states where it used to be found.[5]
The world is taking note, and taking action. PIRG has been a leader in highlighting the dangers of neonics across the country, and now 11 states have some restrictions on consumer neonics, and New York and Vermont have restricted pesticide-coated seeds.[6]
But this is just the start. Bayer needs to do its part and take bee-killing neonics out of its products. Sending a message today can help get neonics out of our agriculture industry.
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Thank you,
Faye Park
President
1. Stephen Leahy, "Insect 'apocalypse' in U.S. driven by 50x increase in toxic pesticides," National Geographic, August 6, 2019.
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2. Leska et al., "Effects of Insecticides and Microbiological Contaminants on Apis mellifera Health," The National Library of Medicine, August 22, 2021
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3. "#FridayFact: One in three spoonfuls of food depends on bees!" United Nations Environmental Programme, May 18, 2018.
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4. "US honeybees suffer second deadliest season on record," The Guardian, June 23, 2023.
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5. Steve Blackledge, "The American bumblebee is on the decline," Environment America, January 24, 2022.
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6. Wendy Wendlandt and Steve Blackledge, "What's being done to save the bees?" Environment America, August 21, 2024.
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