Research shows that bees' cognitive functions are significantly harmed by these pesticides, to the point that they become incapable of finding their way to their hives. This is worrying as pollinators like bees have been declining in distressing numbers in recent years.
John,
The EPA is expected to approve a plan that would extend the use of four of the most deadly pesticides to bees for the next 15 years, despite recent bans of the same toxins in Europe.
The plan would allow for the continued use of imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, and dinotefuran. These four chemicals are all neonicotinoids, a class of chemicals widely used on crops to treat them for pests but have also been found to have unintentional and devastating effects on bees.
Across the 150m acres of farmland in the US where they are used, they have already contributed to making that land nearly 50 times more toxic than it was 25 years ago.
Research shows that bees' cognitive functions are significantly harmed by these pesticides, to the point that they become incapable of finding their way to their hives. This is worrying as pollinators like bees have been declining in distressing numbers in recent years. Even the EPA has acknowledged that there are “ecological risks of concern, particularly to pollinators and aquatic invertebrates.”
At the same time, farmers have argued that these pesticides are necessary for the protection of their crops from insect infestations.
There is still time for the EPA to change its policies, as a spokesperson for the agency indicated that a decision will not be made until late-2022. So we wanted to hear from you, , John: Do you think the EPA should consider banning these pesticides in order to protect bees?
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