At last a guilty plea - of sorts

[oliver90owner]

Posted on the main forum because every beekeeper needs to know .... seems begrudging and no 'cocktail' effect taken into account?

http://www.theguardian.com/environm...on-extra-protections-for-bees-from-pesticides

RAB

 

[REDWOOD]

And still millions of farmers will buy pesticides again this year and spray their crops, not many people care as long as they can buy cheap fruit and veg from supermarkets that has be subjected to all sorts of chemicals to allow the sickly plant to grow.
We all must be aware of what is happening and be responsible for our future before we destroy it for good.

 

[BrianO]

And still millions of farmers will buy pesticides again this year and spray their crops, not many people care as long as they can buy cheap fruit and veg from supermarkets that has be subjected to all sorts of chemicals to allow the sickly plant to grow.
We all must be aware of what is happening and be responsible for our future before we destroy it for good.

That about sums it up !

God help us , only had this discussion other day with s farmer who actually keeps bees, who was telling me he could not even get his neighbouring farmer to tell him when he was going to douse his OSR with chemicals so he could close up his hives, despite asking him numerous times.

So few people both are aware of the systematic poisoning of our enviroment, and even more alarming, so few care.

 

[Finman]

-
Ban the citrus and cotton farming in UK.

If Finnish knowledge is not relevant in British beekeeping, why you are upset for cotton farming. Oliver just remined me , that none of my advices works in Britain.

Canada has reported that it has not noticed vanishing bee hives on rape fields.

But however, you have too much beehives in UK anyway.

 

[Finman]

So few people both are aware of the systematic poisoning of our enviroment, and even more alarming, so few care.

Religious fairytales.

And take that Santa hat away.

 

[iand]

That about sums it up !

God help us , only had this discussion other day with s farmer who actually keeps bees, who was telling me he could not even get his neighbouring farmer to tell him when he was going to douse his OSR with chemicals so he could close up his hives, despite asking him numerous times.

So few people both are aware of the systematic poisoning of our enviroment, and even more alarming, so few care.

I have only shut my bees in when moving them, never at any time just because a farmer is spraying, even when only a few yards from the crop. Maybe because they follow the rules even the farmer/beekeeper does surprisingly. Never had a problem even when Hostathion was in use. That insecticide would not leave you in any doubt as to whether the bees had been affected. When I was arable farming crop protection products were expensive, the margins much greater than to-day but still not a lot to spare. So the minimum only was used if the effects were viable & certainly not poured on to excess.

 

[peteinwilts]

I will be using a pesticide at the weekend.

I will be performing my winter oxalic treatment.

 

[madasafish]

Anyone who thinks growing brassicas on a commercial scale in the UK is possible without using pesticide should prepare for much higher prices.

I grow them - as a gardener and my losses from insects were low in 2014 (good weather) - only 25% . This year (2015/6 ) they are nearly 90%. (I only refer to brassicas and carrots - which are the main vegetables I grow). I use NO pesticides.

I read all these anti pesticide writings but in effect there are no sensible commercial proposals to grow in equivalent volumes without a very significant (doubling/trebling or more) of the price.

So may I respectfully ask those who complain about pesticide use, please offer their sensible alternatives at the same time. And then how much they will be prepared to pay extra in tax to fund the increased welfare to ensure the poor don't starve when food prices double.


Please don't read this as any enthusiastic support of the use of pesticides : it is not. BUT if you wish them banned, consider the consequences.

 

[domino]

So may I respectfully ask those who complain about pesticide use, please offer their sensible alternatives at the same time.

They are a necessary evil.

 

[mbc]

They are a necessary evil.

Capitalism is to blame, massive corporations duty bound to their shareholders to punt as much of their product as possible for as much profit as possible with as much spent on lobbying to limit the regulations as there ever is in r and d, all with little thought for the long term and the environment. The system as it stands is bound to result in excess use as each salesman's commission based salary depends on selling lots of the stuff wether the buyer needs it or not.

 

[madasafish]

Capitalism is to blame, .

So the Chinese don't use pesticides? Nor the Russians. And never did?

You are having a laugh..
The Avowedly non capitalist Chinese have turned parts of China into an insect desert through overuse of pesticides . As for the Russians, see the Aral Sea and weep.

All done in the cause of socialism.

 

[Finman]

All done in the cause of socialism.

It was 26 years ago.
.

 

[Finno]

Indeed, whenever I read one of these puerile anti pesticide rants, I would dearly like to give them an acre or two of carrots to weed manually. They then could watch while their pesticide free crop was wiped out by carrot fly. Fact is: modern food production methods have arisen due to the fact that there are seven billion too many of us on this planet.

 

[Finman]

. Fact is: modern food production methods have arisen due to the fact that there are seven billion too many of us on this planet.

Do not worry. Top bar hive has already rescued us! Amen.

 

[peteinwilts]

Capitalism is to blame, massive corporations duty bound to their shareholders to punt as much of their product as possible for as much profit as possible with as much spent on lobbying to limit the regulations as there ever is in r and d, all with little thought for the long term and the environment. The system as it stands is bound to result in excess use as each salesman's commission based salary depends on selling lots of the stuff wether the buyer needs it or not.

We create nice organised rows and fields of foodstuffs to make it convenient and possible to feed our growing population, but is also convenient for other animals and insects to eat the same foodstuffs.
I wonder how many of us could actually survive being a hunter or gatherer.

 

[Finman]

.
Look at that; Figure Wheat yields by country (average 1996/2000)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Posted on the main forum because every beekeeper needs to know .... seems begrudging and no 'cocktail' effect taken into account?

http://www.theguardian.com/environm...on-extra-protections-for-bees-from-pesticides

RAB

Thanks for posting this RAB

This has reminded me of a lecture I watched on youtube.
Last years National Honey show had a presentation of the new "Bee Gate" against varroa.
It sits at the entrance and dots "miticide" on each bee as it comes and goes. Brilliant. The bees don't even have to really leave the hive now to get their dose of poison. Guess who makes it?

 

[foghornleghorn]

@madasafish, did you ever try the carrot fly resistant varieties, switched here a few years ago and all carrots perfect since

 

[foghornleghorn]

Capitalism is to blame, massive corporations duty bound to their shareholders to punt as much of their product as possible for as much profit as possible with as much spent on lobbying to limit the regulations as there ever is in r and d, all with little thought for the long term and the environment. The system as it stands is bound to result in excess use as each salesman's commission based salary depends on selling lots of the stuff wether the buyer needs it or not.

Ultimately people can be all talk about stuff like this but yet they go out and support this system every day without thinking twice,

 

[Finno]

Do not worry. Top bar hive has already rescued us! Amen.

Yep! We're all saved ☺