Lobbying over the Roundup weedkiller >>> again >>> crunchtime: Tuesday 14th June

Earlier this week, a ban on the controversial neonicotinoids was considered:
Futures Forum: Lobbying over the Roundup weedkiller >>> crunchtime: Monday 6th June

Defra has rejected an emergency application for growers to use banned neonicotinoid seed treatments on oilseed rape this autumn:

Defra rejects NFU application to use neonicotinoids on OSR - Farmers Weekly

The National Farmers' Union has now applied for a more limited application to use these treatments:

NFU ‘gives best shot’ at second bid for neonics - Farmers Weekly

And this tussle over weedkillers and the EU is having an impact on opinion over Brexit:

Weedkiller decision adds to Brexit momentum for UK farmers – POLITICO

EU head office wants limited extension of popular weedkiller | Fresno Bee

Glyphosate unlikely to pose risk to humans, UN/WHO study says | Environment | The Guardian

But local authorities are under a lot of pressure:

Petition calls on council to stop spraying 'dangerous' pesticides on Glasgow parks and pavements - Glasgow Live

Council to stop spraying parks with health risk weed killer | London | News | London Evening Standard

And campaigning groups are putting pressure on keeping the ban in place:



BREAKING: last night powerful lobbyists put in yet another application to bring back bee-killing pesticides to our fields. [1] And government advisers will be approving or blocking the application this Tuesday. [2]

At the moment these pesticides are banned because of the toxic impact they have on our environment including bees. [3] The ban's still in place thanks to thousands of 38 Degrees members blocking the lobbyist's previous application earlier this year. [4]

Scientists have found that these pesticides have a severe effect on our wildlife. [5] But we don’t just have to take their word for it - we can see it happening right now. In parts of China, because of the shrinking bee population, people are having to pollinate crops one by one - by hand. [6]

Here is hand-pollination in action on apple tree fields in China:

Sign the petition to protect bees from toxic pesticides:

Keep bee-killing pesticides off our fields this year

NOTES
[1] Farmers Weekly: NFU ‘gives best shot’ at second bid for neonics

[2] From the minutes of the last meeting of the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP):
“8.1 It was confirmed that the Committee’s next meeting will be held in York on 26 July 2016. An additional meeting might be held in York on 14 June 2016 if Emergency Authorisation submissions are made” - this meeting on the 14th June is now going ahead.

See: UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) - GOV.UK

[3] New York Times: Pesticides linked to honeybee deaths pose more risks, European group says

[4] Together, we managed to block the last pesticide application, read the story here:Bees get a break - 38 Degrees

[5] The Independent - Pesticides linked to mass bee deaths also affect other friendly organisms including birds and fish

List of crops pollinated by bees:List of crop plants pollinated by bees - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

BBC news - Widespread impacts of neonicotinoids 'impossible to deny'

[6] Huffington Post: These photos capture the startling effect of shrinking bee populations

Sign the open letter to protect our bees:
.
.
.