http://ecowatch.com/2014/02/07/epa-approves-another-pesticide-toxic-bees/ (http://ecowatch.com/2014/02/07/epa-approves-another-pesticide-toxic-bees/)
They approve chemicals? I thought they just shut down mining and oil drilling and stopped people from digging a fish pond on their property. Maybe we really don't need and EPA. I would defund it, we need to find a place to economize and it sounds like they would be a good start.
:shock: It would seem to me that after reading this mess about the EPA, there comes one thing to mind. It is time for the Beekeepers of the USA to form a coalition to BAN all pesticides being used in the fields by the farmers. Think about it people, WE beeks have the power, NOT the farmers. If we form together and offer up a contract to these farmers and tell them plain and simple, You want our services, you don't use pesticides that are known to kill our bees. A few farmers go without our bee services and go belly up over it and the nations farmers would get the picture LOUD and clear. It's time we take the pollination services to the next level.
Think about it, if you were a rancher and someone fed your cattle bad feed, would you stand for it? No you'd either sue the heck outta the person that sold the food, or go belly up...
:shock:
drlonzo, while I'm not addressing for or against farmers using pesticides, I'm addressing some technical details of your comments. I'm not familiar with farmers in West Virginia, but what crops do farmers raise there which require honey bees? Now if it is Almonds in California, then I would say that any beekeeper with a concern should ask if and what they sprayed and not provide bees if it is hazardous to the bees. In fact, I believe some beekeepers do do that.
Maybe a better approach that would include greater pressure would be to require labeling of food of if/what pesticides were sprayed. I think a lot more people would be concerned than a selective few beekeepers on the west coast.
I cannot remember what I read it from. :roll: I did see the new contracts for next year growers going to have to buy insurance for the beehives killed by pesticides. Just one more thing to make the price of food go up.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
sounds like we will have to vote again.