14 June 2013

Savage attack on bee health

The Minister of Primary Industries needs to step in and withdraw the approval for yet another bee harming pesticide that has just been approved, the Green Party said today.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday reported the approval of yet another insecticide containing the chemical imidacloprid that has been linked to bees’ colony collapse disorder. This newly approved product is called Savage 600 Flowable Seed Dressing Insecticide.

“Approval of Savage 600 is another savage attack on our bees,” said Green Party agriculture spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“The European Union just a few months ago froze the use of this chemical and other neonicotinoids as a seed treatment for two years because of the risk to bees, and yet our agencies are approving even more of them.

“The links between these chemicals and the decline in bee populations has been widely acknowledged. We rely on bees for all aspects of our agricultural and food production and can’t afford to lose them.

“We need to take action to protect bees, not sting them with another attack.

“They have ignored any potential for systematic release of this insecticide throughout the plant including pollen, which could affect bees.

“Bees are so crucial to our agricultural sector. The Minister must take urgent action to protect them and the irreplaceable pollinating services they provide.

“The EPA made this decision to approve Savage 600 based on a previous similar insecticide they had approved. They need to get with the times and acknowledge that the rest of the world is taking substantive action to protect bees while we are just watching them get assaulted again.”

EPA decision:
http://www.epa.govt.nz/search-databases/Pages/applications-details.aspx?appID=APP201719
ends

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