Will Nicotine Cause Crop Failures?

[Higgs Boson]

Folks, please take a look at this alarming garden-related article from Americans for Non-Smokers' Rights

(I'm a longtime worker/fighter for non-smokers' rights, going back to when I ran the local chapter of ANR's predecessor, GASP (Group Against Smoking Pollution). Much progress has been made, thanks to the tireless, dogged efforts of our teammates, but it took a lot of patience and persistence to overcome the power of the tobacco lobby and the venality of state legislatures and local authorities.

The battle is not yet won, so please consider joining ANR. Much appreciated.

Now to the garden-relevant excerpt from ANR's Fall 2010 Update:

"Will Nicotine Cause Crop Failures?

France, Germany, and Italy have banned the use of a certain class of pesticides, nicotine-based neonicotinoids, after discovering that they were killing off the bee population. The Italian Agriculture Ministry initially suspended the use of these pesticides as a =93precautionary measure,=94 and the resultant rapid restoration of the bee population led to the permanent ban.

These pesticides have not yet been banned in the U.S., so groups like the Sierra Club have provided copies of the documentary =93Nicotine Bees=94 to members of Congress to educate them about the pesticides=92 devastating effects. Bee pollination is responsible for one-third of our food supply and without it, food production will decline sharply and people will go hungry."

As you may have read in other contexts, the U.S. is in trouble bee- wise. Fellow gardeners will understand the direct link between a healthy bee population and large-scale production of essential foodstuffs.

Contact your Member of Congress to demand that these pesticides be banned.

Also please contact the Sierra Club about arranging a showing of "Nicotine Bees" at your local library, church/synagogue, Y, or other organization.

[Billy]

What about the following? Shouldn't they be banned as well?

Group 1 -- Highly toxic: Severe losses may be expected if used when bees are present at treatment time or within a day thereafter, except where noted to the contrary.

------------------------------------------- Pesticides (trade name and/or common name)

------------------------------------------- aldrin2 Ambush 2,18, permethrin arsenicals 1,2 Asana, esfenvalerate Avermectin 17 Azodrin 1,2, monocrotophos Baygon 2, propoxur Baytex 2, fenthion Bidrin 1,2, dicrotophos Bux, bufencarb carbosulfan 2, FMC-35001 Cygon 2, dimethoate Cythion 2,4, malathion Dasanit 5, fensulfothion DDVP 2, dichlorvos Dibrom 2,3, naled Decis 2, decamethrin De-Fend 2, dimethoate diazinon 2, Spectracide dieldrin 1,2 Dimecron 2, phosphamidon Dursban 2, chlorpyrifos Ekamet, etrimfos EPN 1,2 Ethyl Guthion, azinphos-ethyl Famophos, famphur Ficam, bendiocarb Folithion, fenitrothion Furadan 2,5, carbofuran Gardona 1,2, stirofos Guthion 1,2, azinphos-methyl heptachlor 1,2 Imidan 2, phosmet Lannate 2, methomyl Lorsban, chlorpyrifos malathion 2,4 Matacil, aminocarb Mesurol, methiocarb methyl parathion 1,2,11,12 Monitor 2, methamidophos Nemacur 5, fenamiphos Nudrin 2, methomyl Orthene 2, acephate parathion 1,2 Pay-Off Phosdrin 1,2,3, mevinphos phosphamidon 2, Dimecron Pounce 2,18, permethrin Pydrin 2, fenvalerate resmethrin, Synthrin Sevin 2, carbaryl Spectracide 2, diazinon Sumithion, fenitrothion Sumithrin, d-phenothrin Supracide 2, methidathion Tamaron 2, methamidophos Temik 1,2,5,7, aldicarb tepp 1,2,3 Vapona 2, dichlorvos TM

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Group II -- Moderately toxic: Can be used around bees if dosage, timing, and method of application are correct, but should not be applied directly on bees in the field or on the hives.

-------------------------------------------------- Insecticides (trade name and/or common name)

-------------------------------------------------- Abate 2, temephos Agritox, trichloronate Bolstar, sulprophos Carzol 2, formetanate hydrochloride chlordane 2 Ciodrin, crotoxyphos Counter, terbufos Croneton, ethiofencarb Curacron, profenofos DDT 1,2,10 Di-Syston 1,2,6,18, disulfoton Dyfonate, fonofos endrin 1,2 Korlan, ronnel Larvin 2, thiodicarb Metasystox-R 2, oxydemeton-methyl Mocap, ethoprop Perthane, ethylan Pyramat Sevin 4-Oil2, carbaryl Sevimol 2, carbaryl Syston 1,2,18, demeton Thimet 1,2,6, phorate Thiodan 2, endosulfan Trithion 2, carbophenothion Vydate 2, oxamyl Zolone, phosalone

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