Some say that if the bees go, man will soon follow. Although our demise might not be so quick, there will be hell to pay for the loss of such a precious insect. It is not a question of honey. It is the question of myriad crops that will not be pollinated if they disappear.
In Europe, the collective authorities have taken notice. Against loud objections raised by the manufacturers of the most harmful pesticides in agricultural use, the EU has asked for a moratorium of two years on the use of pesticides to better assess the impact they have on the bee populations.
Unfortunately, the ban was supposed to be for 5 years, but the industries and other commercial interests claimed such duress that the EU commission relented and shortened it to two years.
That however, might give scientists at least a partial reading on the problem. Two years is really not enough to assess the impact, because these pesticides are persistent for a number of months and some years. So in fact, the two year moratorium might play into the hands of the pesticides makers, since the difference in effect might not be assessed properly.
Or we could be pleasantly surprised and find that even that short a time is enough to give the laborious insect a boost. We can only hope that is the case.
The chemicals makers, Bayer and Sangenta, have acquiesced to the shorter terms, although they have always denied that bee population collapse is due to the use of their chemicals.
Op-Ed
Partial source : France 24/ 5.24.13
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