<A 2% burden integrated (compounded) over a sufficient time period adds up.>
That just brings up the question is a (hypothetical?) 2% burden worth
doing something about? I hate to say it but yes it might hurt beekeepers,
but then the question is: Is that offset by the amount it helps the crops?
You can talk about effects not detectable in field trials, but without
being able to pin a number on them can you really say anything about the
product? What are you going to tell the farmer? Your pesticide may or may
not being causing about a 2% harm to my bees, please desist from using it?
What if the farmer demonstrates a 20%gain in cost+benefit to their crops?
Everything is a tradeoff somewhere down the line. I would be more
interested to see the cost/benefit of the neonic compared to available
alternatives, whatever that might be.
This is getting above my knowledge/interest/time, but I couldn't help throw
my 2 cents in as a very smallscale farmer and beekeeper.
Jeremy
West Michigan
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