>
> >Many on the list condemn commercial beeks for treating prophylactic for
> disease but seem to not find fault when growers use systemics
> prophylactic. Nothing IPM about almost every corn seed in the U.S. treated
> with
> systemics. (let alone GMO)


Before you go speaking for others, Bob, you might wish to ask them what
they actually think!

I can't speak for others, but I can tell you what I think.

Prophylactic treatment of crops is the antithesis of IPM.  The current
universal use of Roundup Ready crops and neonic seed treatments will
predictably lead to rapid evolution of the pests for resistance to both the
herbicide and the insecticide.  This process is already well underway.

This means that both Roundup and certain neonics will have a limited
lifespan as effective pesticides, whereas if they had been used
judiciously, their effective lives might have been extended indefinitely.

I feel that the American model of Big Ag monoculture is in its last throes.
 The high energy and fertilizer input of the Green Revolution is
unsustainable, as is the early successful pest control by the
organochlorines and organophosphates.  Plus, the massive loss of crop
biodiversity over the past century is about to come bite us in the butt, as
epidemics of new pests (notably the grain rusts) sweep monoculture across
the globe.

The American model of big ag, monopoly control of the seed industry, etc
will fail of its inherent shortcomings.  It is often a disaster when "sold"
by advertising and bribery to Third World countries.

The heydey of blind public faith in chemistry to control the environment is
over.  The public is putting too much economic pressure on the system to
keep doing what its been doing.

Of course, there will be the predictable protests by the ag industry that
changes will put them out of business.  This claim is ludicrous at face
value, since agriculture has an inelastic market, in that every human being
needs to eat!

The problem is that truly hungry people care little about the environment.
 So it is up to us First World consumers to promote models for sustainable
agriculture.  Such models will include pesticides, but used much more
judiciously.  Such use will, by public demand, be more environmentally
friendly.

I see a better future ahead.  The learning curve is going to be painful.
 But the big players understand the Big Picture, and are already
positioning themselves to move in positive directions.  Unfortunately, I
find that many of my environmentalist brethren are ignorant of the
 realities of the situation, confuse the public, and waste energy in the
wrong directions.

Food is a huge market, and sustainable, environmentally-friendly
agriculture offers incredible opportunity.  There are lots of win-win ways
for us to move forward if we do our homework and avoid tunnel vision.
-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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