>For a farmer producing grain the choice of using or not using herbicides
>on crops such as corn or soybeans is not really a choice if he wishes to
>remain in the business of farming.
 
Hi All,
 
I am a old beekeeper and I am tired of turning my cheek only to be
slapped again and again. I have had the experience to share my bee
pasture with row crop growers on the California coast to cotton
farmers in the hot valley's. I have also served my time on many
government boards, and appeared before the same such as fly control,
mosquito, weed, honeybee, chicken pooh, you name it and I been there, at
local and state levels. I am not a environmentalist, but I stand, alone
if necessary to stop the un-necessary spraying of government lands,
including roadsides with chemicals, and against beekeepers when it is
necessary...
 
In the last 40 years as one harmless chemical product or another has
been removed from the market and this is the argument we in California
have heard from agriculture all along, "It will put us out of business".
But the truth is that we in agriculture are still in business in spite
of all the regulations, restrictions, and withdrawal of 1000's of
chemicals from our use. I include myself, the lowly beekeeper who still
would be using some chemicals such as EDB which has proven to have a
100% cancer rate to those who have used it as prescribed by government,
permits and regulation, bee science, ect., in a relativity short period.
 
I have always been in agriculture, I can accept that there is a need
for farm chemicals and regulations, but I do not see the same need for
our public lands, urban areas, or our rural roadways to be given the
same consideration we give the farmer. Because it is in many cases not
necessary and brings a far grater number of people into contact with so
called safe products that all manufactures say are harmless until it is
proven sometime by great disasters that they were not all that safe.
EDB was safe if used as directed, DDT was safe if used as directed,
Parathion is safe if used as directed, and on and on..
 
When a careless farmer endangers his family, his workers, his land,
his community, (all of which are not the rule), we react with horror.
He pays a price which can be his complete loss of livelihood if he is
found to have used, legal or not chemicals and they cause harm.
 
Why should we allow any government agency to spray our road sides when
this leads directly to contamination of our public water ways by public
agencies who are almost immune from the bad effects of their acts and
there are alternative methods?
 
Maybe we should all ask how old were you when the first open air A-Bomb
was set off, and how old were you when it was stopped, and how old will
you be when the government admits any liability for any damage done. I
suspect many if not most of you are too young to do that, but it is a
matter of record if anyone is interested, except for the last part.<G>
 
At least with the farmer we can stop him from farming when his actions
cause contamination of water, air, land, food, or kill some poor
creature including our bees. Any who have experienced trying to protect
their own or the public interest from poor government actions knows how
hard it is to get them to change once they have the green light.
 
                              ttul, the OLd Drone
 
 
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in any form, or to print for any use.
 
(w)Opinions are not necessarily facts. Use at own risk.
 
---
 ~ QMPro 1.53 ~ ... Where bee-hives range on a gray bench in the garden,