Commentary: Unsound science, social pressure jeopardizes food supply
September 30, 2016
From: Herald.net
By Madilynne Clark
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A real-world example from 2014 estimates the cost of the European Union ban on neonicotinoids for United Kingdom farmers to be $33 million for alternative pesticide use, lost crops, and replanting crops. What’s worse, the ban on neonicotinoids in the European Union has not reduced the risk to honeybee colonies.
A new study by Washington State University shows neonicotinoids poise little to no risk to bees. WSU Professor Alan Felsot said, “Based on residues we found in apiaries around Washington state, our results suggest no risk of harmful effects in rural and urban landscapes and arguably very low risks from exposure in agricultural landscapes.”
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