We both know that there is a little more going on than just simply the
consumer driving the market. I'm not convinced that we Americans asked for
sugar to be added to over 80% of our commercial food products.

You need to spend about 10 minutes at the drive counter of any convince
store and see what sells.  Now days most of them also have apples bananas
and oranges available,  yet the dounught and pop outsell oranges and a water
100 to 1.  Its human tastebuds that are the big liar in this race.


 We clearly do not have all of the scientific data supporting the safe use
of Neonics. Would you agree with this statement? 25 years of neonic use and
we still don't know what long term effects they will have, nor can we agree
on what they are doing to our bees? 

I disagree with that 100%!   We know that Its not good on bees,  and we also
know that bees see little to no exposure when used properly.  We know
without a doubt here in most of the country,  that its better then the
options ( at least when its still limited)  We know that its safer than
atrizine. That is in soil life is better. And that all around so far it has
been a much better choice from the aspects of controlled dosages on
seeds(less per acre) and not randomly sprayed like most post emergence
pesticides.  So far we know after 25 years as you mentioned, its at least no
worse than the options. 
WE know 1000% certain they are bad for bees, and all other insects.  We also
know that the exposure to them is greatly reduced in most cases.

The cases of planter dust in Ontario for example.  While bad and a problem,
in the big picture a tiny issue.    The whole bee kill in Oregon with the
bumbles  blown way out of proportion!  50k dead bumbles?? Any one every ask
how many bees there must be in the area to get that many dead??  Heck to me
that was a huge bee count!  WOW how many bumbles per mile if you can get
that many in one parking lot!  Any good biologist would have been busy
examining the types.  Yup it should be avoided in the future. But in the
scheme of that county bee population, it was a tiny blip.

Here in the Midwest, keeping bees became pracitical again.  Ask any oldtime
Midwest farmer how often we used to get spray kills.  And what its like now.
The difference was we didn't complain before. There were no checks for
claims, and since we were using others land for our forage anyway, it was
the cost of business.  Man things have changed.

That said each locaility is different. Some areas are seeing foliar sprays
that may be a huge issue.  Obviously the guys in Canada, are working out
some perceived issues.  That's there choice.  I sure hope the US people
don't let big city people try to decide what we do in the country.



What we don't know and understand, is why some people are so set against the
science, and clueless about the choices?  How do alarmist groups and guys
Like Lu manage to twist things so far??  There is the question in my mind.

Charles

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