Friends of the Earth urges retailers to address bee-killing pesticides in food supply WASHINGTON, D.C. — Costco (NYSE: COST) debuted the news that it will take steps to address bee-killing pesticides in its supply chain. Its inaugural bee policy encourages suppliers of garden plants to limit the use of non-essential chemicals, discourages use of neonicotinoid insecticides on pollinator-attractive plants and encourages use of eco-friendly methods of pest and disease control. Costco is also expanding its…
Friends of the Earth calls for agency to ban neonicotinoid pesticides WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its preliminary pollinator risk assessment for three neonicotinoid insecticides: clothianidin, thiamethoxam and dinotefuran and updated its assessment for the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. A growing body of scientific data implicate these pesticides as key contributors to bee declines and as harmful to other organisms that are essential to food production. The updated imidacloprid risk assessment failed to…
Poll shows 80 percent of Americans support eliminating bee-killing pesticides from agriculture
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report and scorecard grades 20 of the largest food retailers in the U.S on their policies and practices regarding pollinator protection, organic offerings and pesticide reduction. Of the top food retailers, 17 received an “F” for failing to have a publicly available policy to reduce or eliminate pesticide use to protect pollinators. Only Aldi, Costco (COST)…
Poll shows 51 percent of Americans more likely to shop at retailers committed to not sell bee-killing pesticides
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A report released today showed a significant decrease in the number of “bee-friendly” home garden plants sold at major retailers that have been pre-treated with pesticides shown to harm and kill bees. The study of plants purchased at Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW), Ace Hardware, True Value and Walmart (NYSE: WMT)…
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A truck full of dead bees will make its final stop at a rally outside the headquarters of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this afternoon, culminating a coast-to-coast tour to raise awareness about recent massive declines in pollinators.
While the millions of dead bees will remain in the truck, advocates and beekeepers will deliver over 4 million signatures urging an immediate ban on bee-killing pesticides.
“In the five years since I started…
National “Keep Hives Alive Tour” ends with rally at EPA
Media advisory for: Wednesday, June 22, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Over 40 percent of U.S. honeybee hives die each year, costing the farming and beekeeping industry more than $2 billion annually. On the Keep the Hives Alive Tour, farmers, farmworkers, beekeepers and food advocates across the nation have taken to the road to raise awareness about massive pollinator declines and the impacts on our food system.
After…
Bayer, Syngenta, Monsanto influence shaping federal and state pollinator plans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Amid an ongoing pollinator crisis that threatens our food system, a new report issued today by Friends of the Earth documents how the pesticide industry has weakened and delayed pesticide reforms and is shaping new pollinator “protection” plans nationwide that do little to protect bees, but a lot to protect industry profits.
The investigation, titled “Buzz Kill: How the Pesticide Industry…
Beekeepers, farmers, farmworkers and scientists unite for pesticide regulation and sustainable agriculture
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Keep the Hives Alive Tour kicks off today to raise awareness about the plight of mass bee die-offs and other pollinators. The tour is organized by beekeepers, farmers, farmworkers, scientists and advocates and will stop in South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina before and during National Pollinator Week, June 13-23.
James Cook, a Minnesota beekeeper, is…
Feeding the world is not about increasing how many bushels of grain we can grow, it’s about dirt, democracy, and our diets.
Bee losses heighten urgency for immediate action on pesticides
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Bee Informed Partnership, in collaboration with the Apiary Inspectors of America and the United States Department of Agriculture, released its annual report on honey bee losses in the United States. Beekeepers reported losing 44 percent of their total number of colonies managed over the last year -- close to the highest annual loss in the past six years. These losses are considered…