Petition to suspend neonicotinoids in NJ

Back in August Governor Christie sent some letters to member of the NJBA thanking them for their essential work with honeybees. I thought to take this and run with it and ask the Governor for his help in suspending what I believe is wreaking major havoc with our honeybees; neonics. Poland, Italy, Germany, Spain and France all have banned or decreased use of these chemicals that are highly toxic to honeybees because beekeepers banned together and rallied to their ministries to ask them to. If NJ could be the first state to do this, perhaps the rest will follow. We will present this at our NJBA winter meeting where the Governor is scheduled to attend. There are several petitions to the EPA from various beekeeping and other groups to ask for a ban on the neonic registration. I figure if we ask for a suspension, we may get it! Thank you for any help with our petiton and you may want to start your own in your state. If anyone does, post it and I will sign as many petitions that anyone posts to suspend these chemicals!

http://www.change.org/petitions/gove...-in-new-jersey

i don't know that much about neonics, but do you think randy oliver has got it all wrong?

under his "New Items" is "The Harvard Study on imidacloprid and CCD
Updated May 1 2012"

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/

and this one,

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/a-ne...-clothianidin/

again, i wish i knew more, but i have always considered randy oliver a reputable source.

in my opinion, the jury is still out.

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Originally Posted by squarepeg

i don't know that much about neonics, but do you think randy oliver has got it all wrong?.

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I dont. Randy formulates his opinions and logical conclusions from scientific data. His assessments always seem to pass the logic test based on my beekeeping experiences.

Dave Hackenberg reminded folks at MOFGA's Common Ground Fair that the neo-nics will soon be off patent and the next generation of pesticides introduced. I'm troubled by a lack of clear evidence against the neo-nics and think our attention should largely turn to what's coming next.

Also, sadly, when Monsanto purchased Beelogics they also bought a few beekeepers along with it.

In EU, after banning the chems, the bees rebounded. Sweet and simple practical science.

not really, unless causality was proven. bees are rebounding here too.

I'm still waiting for a defining study that implicates neonics. So far that has not happened except for talc contamination when planting corn. Beekeepers would do well to control varroa, nosema and maintain strong hives. That's the solution IMO. I never want to go back to the old pesticides when hundreds of hives were wiped out with the single pass of a crop duster.

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Originally Posted by honeylove

Also, sadly, when Monsanto purchased Beelogics they also bought a few beekeepers along with it.

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easier posted than proven

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Originally Posted by honeylove

In EU, after banning the chems, the bees rebounded. Sweet and simple practical science.

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In some places yes, in some places no. Not the simple proof it might have been.

What really bothers me is when the hypothesis that people start with is that any thing involving a large chemical company is guilty until proven innocent and then chooses only the facts that fit such an hypothesis. A further corollary, sadly, is also to question the integrity of anyone who chooses to be employed by said companies under the assumption that they are surely corrupt as well. Why not let the main body of scientific data drive your opinions instead. Sigh....sad but not surprising.

It's not surprising because of historical precedent.

it may turn out that neonics end up being a part of what is sure to be a multifactorial cause for colony collapse.

like i said, the jury is still out, and my approach will be to proceed with eyes and mind wide open.

each of us has to do what we think is right.

i'm not about to embarrass myself by petitioning my legislators on an issue that i don't have the facts about.

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Originally Posted by squarepeg

easier posted than proven

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all you have to do is look in posts regarding beelogics you will see who has served on their advisory board.

I am not twisting anyone's arm here and whoever says bees are rebounding, well, that makes me happy. Perhaps these districts have started limiting the use of these pesticides. Many studies point to neonics, to me, this makes sense. If anyone would like to support our petition to help the honeybees, thank you. We have far too many toxic chemicals out there to be doing anyone any good.

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Originally Posted by honeylove

Perhaps these districts have started limiting the use of these pesticides. Many studies point to neonics, to me, this makes sense.

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Please post links to these studies which point to neonics. Also, to my knowledge there is no district in the US that has "started limiting the use of these pesticides."

you are right Andrew. What is coming next? I am sure they have a whole new arsenal of even more toxic stuff to throw at them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by honeylove

all you have to do is look in posts regarding beelogics you will see who has served on their advisory board.

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true enough, but that's a very good thing. besides, i think we're talking about bayer and neonics here. beelogics wasn't producing neonic last time i checked.

if your unsubstantiated insinuations are directed at randy oliver because he provided expertise and was involved in the beelogics work, i fail to see the connection.

as far as the joint u.s./canadian study that is in progress, three cheers for the investigators for bringing someone like randy on board.

it's a free country, and i respect your right to express your concerns as you see fit.

nothing personal here, i don't even know you. it is one of my pet peeves when i see people jumping on a bandwagon because it's....popular?

hence the screen name, squarepeg.

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Originally Posted by camero7

Please post links to these studies which point to neonics. Also, to my knowledge there is no district in the US that has "started limiting the use of these pesticides."

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a

my town and several towns in my area are not using pesticides in public parks school grounds and other areas. guess what? it works. FOlks need to get on board with less is more, less toxins, less problems in our environment. THese pesticides are designed to do one thing, KILL and clothianidin, by the way, was never supposed to even be widely used. It's a shame our legislatures are not looking out for us, but for votes and who gives more $$$ to thier campaign. The EPA has long ago forgotten what it once stood for . As Dave Hackenberg says, the environmental WHATEVER!

As far as studies on this... there were several this year.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/20...-bee-collapse/

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%...l.pone.0029268 summerized here http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0112112722.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0112112722.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0314170511.htm


Now this is just the ones I have read from this year there are studies from as far back as 2008 done in america that show this as "a cause" ... Germany and other contries that have banned these chemicals did so for a reason and they had some studies as well as public support but chemical companies are big and have cash so do you think these cash strapped countries would place ban without some studies and facts. Watched a video where politicians were made to go to a sunflower field that had been treated by groucho and actually see the damage see the bees dead on the flowers and in front of the hives.

I have seen enough large companies be it petroleum, drug, or farm chemical do whats best for them and out and out lie that I wouldn't trust a study funded by someone that will profit from that studies findings in any field.