Dear John,
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Stop Big Ag's toxic pesticides from destroying our food system: Donate to Friends of the Earth today.
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It’s already happening, John. A study released this month confirms that the declining bee population is already hurting food production. Help protect bees, people, and our food systems -- rush a $10 donation to Friends of the Earth today.
Newly published research shows that crops like apples, blueberries, and cherries are being directly hampered by a lack of bees, putting limits on the amount of food that can be grown.
This news comes alongside yet another alarming study published last week, documenting continuing declines of the Western Bumblebee population. Their population has plummeted a precipitous 93% in the past 20 years.
This is devastating news. Up to 80% of flowering plants and crops are pollinated by animals overall. And it’s bad news for our economy, too -- pollination contributes to a whopping $20 billion in agriculture in the United States.
The decline in pollinators, in concert with a deliberate rollback of environmental protections aimed to benefit Big Ag, is setting us up for food security problems locally, nationally, and around the world.
But we can turn the tide. Help secure a thriving and just food system with your $10 donation to Friends of the Earth.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
The leading cause of this decline in pollinators? Pesticides like neonicotinoids, or neonics.
Neonics kill bees and other pollinators. They contaminate groundwater, the broader food chain, and harm human health as well. Babies and children are especially vulnerable to these dangerous compounds. Yet despite the documented dangers of pesticides like neonics, they continue to show up in our food supply -- even in foods marketed to kids.
We know what to do to protect pollinators and our food system: Get the pesticides out of circulation, and ensure a rapid shift to sustainable organic agriculture. But there is a road-block. Pesticide corporations like Monsanto are consolidating their power, working hand-in-hand with government officials to roll back regulations and prevent safeguards.
At Friends of the Earth, we know their playbook, and we know how to beat them. Our multifaceted strategy includes a push for a nationwide ban on neonics and other toxic pesticides, and innovative campaigns targeting corporations that can shift us away from pesticide-intensive agriculture and make pollinator and people-friendly organic food available for all.
Our plan has the power to win comprehensive protections for pollinators across the board. But we don’t have much time, and we need your help to get there.
Will you support the bees and other pollinators with a $10 donation to Friends of the Earth?
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
With your help, we’ve been pushing Congress to ban pesticides and reform industrial agriculture. Friends of the Earth Members like you have already delivered millions of messages to legislators supporting bans on bee-killing pesticides. We’ve organized Congressional briefings to ensure that key decision-makers understand what’s at stake. Together, we can build support for game-changing legislation like the Save America’s Pollinators Act and the Ban Toxic Pesticides Act.
We’re also pressuring some of the largest grocery store chains in the country, like Kroger, to stop selling food grown with toxic pesticides. After three years of campaigning by Friends of the Earth members like you -- including recent testing that exposed unsafe pesticides in retail brand foods targeted to children -- Kroger committed to a better pesticide policy. But it didn’t go nearly far enough. As bees continue to die at alarming rates, we have to keep the pressure on.
In short, we’re harnessing massive grassroots support to compel state governments to ban toxic pesticides and huge retailers to phase them out of their supply chains. We’re fighting -- and winning -- on many fronts, and we won’t back down now. To keep up this fight, we’re counting on your continued support.
Help win a pesticide-free future and a healthy and just food system for all: Donate $10 or more to Friends of the Earth today.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
Thank you,
Lisa Archer,
Food and agriculture program director,
Friends of the Earth
