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Bee-keepers' worry over pesticide ban
ANY action taken to reverse the decline of Britain's honey bee population should be based on science and not suspicion, bee-keepers and farmers have warned.
Yorkshire's honey bee population declined by a third last year and the British bee-keepers Association claim that further falls in bee numbers and the instrumental role they play in the fertilisation of crops could cost the economy 50m.
Conservation group Buglife has called for a suspension of all neonicotinoid products pending a review of their impact on bee numbers.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are highly toxic to insects and are used as a coating for agricultural seeds and in pot plants.
However, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) and the British Bee-keepers Association say that such a call is not based on clear and proven science and that such a ban would be ill-advised.
And the Bee Farmers' Association of the UK called for the focus to remain on the deadly Varroa mite – a parasite which is killing bee colonies across Europe.
Martin Smith, chairman of the BBKA, told the Yorkshire Post: "These products have been approved by the industry's own specialists. As a bee keeping association without hundreds of thousands of pounds to be able to question that, we have to trust it.
"There is an organisation in charge of ensuring the safety of products within this country and we have to rely on their judgement."
Dr Chris Hartfield, NFU horticultural adviser, said: "Buglife's call for a suspension of the use of neonicotinoids is not backed by any of the key beekeeping organisations in the UK.
"Although the report adds a useful perspective to the debate the fact of the matter remains there is still no clear evidence that the use of crop protection products containing neonicotinoids is a factor causing the worrying honey bee losses we are experiencing across the UK."
Dr Hartfield also called for an "independent and comprehensive assessment" of the situation.
"To tackle bee health problems effectively," he remarked, "we believe we need to work on the basis of what we know, not what we suspect."
The decline in bee populations has been a gradual one with a steady drop seen over the last 10 years. As well as the Varroa mite entering the UK eco-system, bees have been hit too by a series of very wet summers and springs – with the insects reluctant to forage for food in the rain.
Earlier this year Defra announced a 10m fund to investigate the problems facing bees, which are key to the pollination of strawberries, raspberries, onions, broccoli, carrots, oil seed rape as well as honey.
John Howat, a bee farmer and secretary of the Bee Farmers' Association of the UK, said: "The fact that the parasitic mite Varroa is a major pest killing honey bee colonies and our controls for it are failing.
"Why do we need to divert our attention from this danger?"
However Matt Shardlow, Buglife's chief executive, said: "Other countries have already introduced bans to prevent neonicotinoids from harming bees."
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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