Subject: French honey makers in a buzz over pesticides--------- To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov> Dear Mr. Helliker, I thought you might like to read another article showing the ever increasing awareness and problems and resulting complaints your "registered" POISONS are creating. (NOTE THIS IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL.) French honey makers in a buzz over pesticides FRANCE: October 18, 2000 PARIS - French honey makers yesterday demanded a ban on pesticides which they alleged were decimating the local bee population by making plants so toxic that even the slightest contact could damage the insects' nervous system. Beekeepers want the Farm Ministry to outlaw so-called systemic pesticides, which are used to coat seeds at the time of sowing and are then spread via the sap into the plant, they said in a joint statement. They say that contact with large doses of the pesticides, used by wheat, barley, maize and sugar beet growers to protect against greenflies, causes bees to become disoriented and, unable to return to their hives, die. "It's enough for the insect to alight on the plant to receive a dose of neurotoxicity," said Maurice Mary, vice-president of the National Union of French Beekeepers (UNAF). "All the auxiliary fauna is decimated." The Farm Ministry, responding to concerns about so-called "mad bee disease", in January 1999 suspended use of chemical giant Bayer AG's pesticide Gaucho on sunseeds as a precautionary measure. But beekeepers said the measure was insufficient, as studies found that Gaucho left a residue which meant that even after two years, plants sowed on the same spot as the crop originally treated contained traces of the product. Honey makers planned to stage a protest on October 25 in front of Bayer's plant in the central French town of Cormery to demand that systemic pesticides - including Gaucho and rival Aventis's Regent - be banned for use on all crops. BAYER DENIES LINK A spokesman for Bayer said that its studies confirmed that Gaucho left a small residue in nectar and pollen, but there was no evidence of a link with the drop in France's bee population. "It is impossible to have zero residue," said Gerard Eyries, marketing manager for Bayer's agricultural division in France. "What is important is to know whether the very feeble quantities which have been found have a negative effect on bees." The product was sold in 70 countries with no reported side-effects on bees, he added. Eyries said Bayer had submitted its findings to the Farm Ministry's Toxicology Commission, which was due to rule in the next few months whether to lift the temporary ban on Gaucho use for sunseed crops. Its recommendation will be passed to Farm Minister Jean Glavany, who has final say in the matter. Farm Ministry officials were not immediately available to comment on the case. The Bayer spokesman called for a broad study to determine the cause of disorientation in bees, which has affected mainly three departments in central and eastern France: Indre, Vendee and Deux-Sevres. "There are many regions where Gaucho is not used and where there are beekeepers, and where beekeepers have considerable problems of declining honey production," he said, adding that acarids could also be to blame for the problem. According to UNAF, French honey production fell to around 25,000 tonnes in 1999 from 35,000 tonnes before systemic pesticides were introduced in the early 1990s. The number of hives has plummeted to one million from 1.45 million in 1996. Story by Joelle Diderich REUTERS NEWS SERVICE Well Mr. Helliker, once again there is more proof that Your "registered" POISONS do not "protect" they KILL - even when used as directed. It has been said: "That what has not been tried - will not work." Is that your "motto" regarding the use of safe and far more effective unregistered alternatives? Respectfully, Stephen L. TvedtenADDITIONAL COMMENT: I believe, that this "registered" POISON that has "theoretically" disorientated and thus decimated the French bee population, may be/is the same "registered" POISON that Bayer also sells as a termiticide. In their termiticide advertisements, Bayer actually notes that this "registered" POISON causes termite (social insect) disorientation and resulting death for years! Bees are also social insects. Pest Control Friends have noted that when they used hundreds of times less than the recommended labeled rate of this "registered" POISON and applied it as a termiticide, they noted that the termites exposed to minute quantities of this "registered" POISON became disoriented, came out of the soil and literally baked in the sun. At pest control exhibits, Bayer showed this same disorientation in petri dishes where the termites would not cover themselves with soil and would bake under the ULV. Now Bayer wishes to pretend that their "registered" POISON did not harm the French bees! Note: You obviously cannot have it both ways. If a "registered" POISON supposedly “solves” a pest problem in a certain destructive way it will also create the same or greater negative effect on all of the beneficial insects that come in contact with the "registered" POISON. It seems to me that some day, "someone" will have to sheepishly plead guilty before the world court and may have to pay unbelievable actual and punitive damages for all the resulting clean-up expenses, health problems, deaths, environmental damages and other contamination costs that your "registered" poisons have unnecessarily caused the world’s people, pets, water, air, food, wildlife and environment. Respectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten |
