The fact is, a lot of people are convinced that pesticides have a prominent role in CCD:
Of the possible causes of CCD being examined, one that has become the subject of debate is
whether certain chemicals or combinations of chemicals could be contributing to CCD, including
some pesticides and possibly some fungicides. Scientists have long been concerned that
pesticides may have sub-lethal effects on bees, not killing them outright but instead impairing
their development and behavior.
For example, in December 2009, a federal court in New York invalidated the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) approval of the pesticide spirotetramat and ordered the agency to
reevaluate the chemical, as a result of a suit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC) and the Xerces Society. The pesticide, manufactured by Bayer CropScience under the
trade names Movento and Ultor, is thought to be potentially harmful to honey bees. NRDC also
filed a lawsuit against the EPA in August 2008 to obtain information that they allege the U.S.
government is withholding about the risks posed by pesticides to honey bees. NRDC claims that
EPA has evidence of connections between pesticides and CCD. Also in August 2008, a German
coalition group brought legal charges against Bayer AG, accusing them of "marketing dangerous
pesticides" and contributing to bee colony declines. The coalition filed the charge in cooperation
with German beekeepers who claim they lost hives because of the Bayer pesticide clothianidin
dating back to May 2008. Some countries, including Germany, Italy and France, reportedly are
either considering or have already instituted full or partial bans of neonicotinoid-based pesticides
due to their potential impact on honey bee populations.
ARS ... has an Area-wide Project on Bee Health, which consists of temporary funding of
$670,000 in FY2008 and will continue for at least four additional years at approximately $1
million per year. Additional funding is available to USDA’s NIFA, and includes combined
research on honey bees, funding specific to CCD and bee health, and funding for various research
labs and grants. Recently, emerging issues grants were awarded to Penn State University and the
University of Georgia to study the effects of pesticides, pathogens, and miticides on pollinator
populations.
Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder
Renee Johnson
Specialist in Agricultural Policy
January 7, 2010
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