Pollinators & the rigged neonic seed market

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Pollinators & the rigged neonic seed market

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Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 15 12:41 pm Post subject: Pollinators & the rigged neonic seed market

Pollinators & the rigged neonic seed market.
An American site but what's being said is as relevant here as there.

Quote:

In most cases the seed is coated with neonics whether wanted or not and our paper found that this lack of choice has made it difficult for farmers and their advisors to assess the actual value of these pesticides in crop production, or to understand their true financial and environmental costs. Most farmers understand the value of pollinators to plant growth and the food system and would not intentionally harm them. However, without credible information on the risks or the freedom to choose their seed coating, farmers are left with little choice but to accept what their seed company delivers.

Quote:

One of the most basic and necessary aspects of a free market is available and accurate information about products and their efficacy, cost and benefits. It should go without saying, then, that in a competitive marketplace, farmers should receive accurate, up-to-date information from researchers and other farmers at field days about the costs and benefits of neonics and other seed coatings related to both crop production and the environment, including pollinators. Yet, this isn’t happening with neonics or other seed coating ingredients today. We need credible, farmer-led field trials that compare different seed coatings and traits, and that information should be shared with other farmers. And those findings should be compared with the effectiveness and costs of other pest control approaches, such as integrated pest management (IPM), that have proven benefits and economic returns. Only with complete information and choice – about neonics and other crop management tools – can farmers make smart choices that allow them to produce crops and take care of pollinators and the environment.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15949

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 15 5:59 am Post subject:
As the article also says, a choice of non-GMO seeds should also be available freely. For home growers old varieties and ones that don't all ripen at the same time is also an advantage.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 15 8:34 am Post subject:

Tavascarow wrote:

Pollinators & the rigged neonic seed market.
An American site but what's being said is as relevant here as there.

Apart from the fact that neonics are banned in this country.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 15 10:03 am Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Tavascarow wrote:

Pollinators & the rigged neonic seed market.
An American site but what's being said is as relevant here as there.

Apart from the fact that neonics are banned in this country.

They aren't. The ban has been lifted for about 30,000 hectares of oil seed rape this Autumn & the EU ban expires this December IIRC.
(Just checked, the two year EU ban expires next April 2016).

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 15 9:02 pm Post subject:
95% banned

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15949

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 15 6:30 am Post subject:

The main worry among beekeepers and others interested in all sorts of bee is that as soon as the ban is lifted, if not before if some government ministers can rig it, neonics will be used again. Although the 2 year ban has been welcome, our government seems to have been just waiting for it to be lifted rather than trying to find out more about their effects on bees. Basically they are not interested.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 15 5:25 pm Post subject:
Friends of the Earth mounts legal challenge to bee-killer pesticide permits.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15949

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 15 6:38 am Post subject:
I saw that. A good thing. I would say round here the damage by pigeons is the biggest cause of poor crops, but I am not a farmer, so that is just be observation.

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