>Please, would it be possible to deliver us some data or references

I'd be happy to Ghislain, but simply don't have the time currently to dig
back through all my research.  You do not need to take my word, but I kept
my eye open for exactly such data when I reviewed the registration
literature, and subsequent independent studies.

>Each minister was presumably briefed by technical advisors specialised in
agricultural science.

And heavily lobbied by activists.  The ministers are political appointees,
not scientists.  The majority of scientists did not agree.  Buckling to the
activists with the 2-yr moratorium was the political way out.

>I don’t see the political aspect either.  Data from properly controlled
fields studies are lacking.

Not true at all!  There are numerous independent and properly controlled
field studies from all over the world.

 >Such field studies should be done for each crop, not just canola.

Have been, although I'd like to see more.  Controlled trials
notwithstanding, the experience of beekeepers in the Corn Belt should
suffice to convince any reasonable person that bees do fine foraging around
seed-treated corn.

 >The problems with planter dust should have been solved before the product
was released

No one foresaw the problems that could occur when pneumatic planters were
used.  But I agree completely that once they became apparent in 2008, that
the U.S. should have required fixing, as was done in Germany and some other
European countries.  The dust issue with corn seed is an insult to
beekeepers that needs fixing!

> and before producers became dependent on the product.

No farmer is dependent upon seed treatment.  It is an option, and costs
about $12 an acre.

> The lack of a moratorium this side of the atlantic to give the companies
time to develop appropriate stickers seems to be  political rather than
scientific.

I agree that it has taken too long.  But a moratorium on all neonics is not
the answer.  The problem is that the way the registration is, there is no
responsible party for a beekeeper to sue for his losses.  The farmer blames
the seed treatment company, that company blames the registrant, and the
registrant blames the farmer.  The bees and the beekeeper lose.  If we want
to fix the problem, make someone liable, and then there would be incentive!

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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