Here is a copy of my letter to the mosquito list, regarding the possible
label change in bee protection directions:
In a message dated 96-09-10 20:55:38 EDT, Don Menard ([log in to unmask])
writes:
<< Lucas Terracina of Calcasieu Parish Mosquito Control posted the
following on Byteline that will have a detrimental affect on most mosquito
control operations if enacted. Before these proposals go into effect,
make your feelings known to your legislators and to Jim Bach whose
address is included below. >>
Don, I invite you to join the current century. Why are you bucking
efforts to protect our pollinators, which are in ever shorter supply? Shame!
Think hard: "My children and grandchildren will need to eat. Will they
bless me for my efforts to protect our food supply, or blame me for my aid in
its destruction?"
If it means a little more thought before spraying; if it means you are
going to have to learn at least some minimal things about bees; if it means
some adjustments in timing sprays, this is a small price to pay, to save a
threatened environmental resource. Tell Jim Bach this is a GREAT idea!
<<
===============================================
PROPOSED CHANGE FOR BEE STATEMENTS - ON LABELS
The EPA is proposing changes in the environmental hazard statements on
pesticide labels for the protection of bees and other beneficial insects.
EPA is proposing that all labels be changed if a pesticide is toxic to
insects that are beneficial to crops, as shown in research data, or if the
product is intended for application from bud through bloom or foliar
application to agricultural crops, forests, shade trees or ornamentals, or
for mosquito abatement. Any pesticide that meets any of the above criteria
will have a precautionary statement on the label.
To MINIMIZE BEE KILLS, pesticide products that are toxic to bees will be
required to include one of two statements on the label to protect bees. The
statement used will depend on whether the pesticide has displayed an
extended residual toxicity. The two samples shown are proposed label
statements. Some changes are likely before final statements are adopted.
These label statements may be added to pesticide labels within one or two
years. Comments on this proposal, prior to the proposal being published in
the Federal Register for public comment, may be addressed to:
Jim Bach
Washington Dept. Of Agriculture
Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560
phone # 306-902-1922 or Fax 306-902-2094
_______________________________________________________________
PROSPSED STATEMENT #1
PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT IF EXTENDED RESIDUAL TOXICITY IS DISPLAYED
(i.e.) Carbofuran, Malathion ULV)
This product is toxic to bees exposed to application or residues. Unless
this product is used in accordance with a state program for the protection
of
bees or as otherwise stated on this label, DO NOT allow this product to come
in contact either directly or through drift to blooming crops or blooming
weeds.
________________________________________________________________
PROPOSED STATEMENT #2
PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT IF EXTENDED RESIDUAL TOXICITY IS NOT DISPLAYED
(i.e.) Carbaryl, Endosulfan)
This product is toxic to bees. Unless this product is used in accordance
with a state program for the protection of bees or as otherwise stated on
this label. DO NOT allow this product to come in contact either directly or
through drift to blooming crops or blooming weeds between 2 hours before
sunrise and 2 hours after sunset.
We received the information from Doug Johnson, Administrator, Cascade County
Weed and Mosquito Management District in Great Falls, Montana.
His phone number is (406) 454-6920, fax 454-6922
Doug got the information from a recent Montana State Department of
Agriculture Newsletter.>>
This is actually no different that the current label statements. It is
just specific enough so that it is harder to weasel out of.
I have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars from poisoning of my
livestock by applications in violation of label directions. Much of this is
from public officials who think they are above the law. I am tired of
finding stinking dead bees, just when they are needed to pollinate our food.
Just this past week I found two locations that have been hit, with the death
of 30 of 60 hives, and the rest might just as well be counted as dead; they
are so weak as to be salvage cases, which will require a lot of expensive
sugar to feed. The field force has been stripped from them, so they are
unable to feed themselves, just as the fall flowers get started in bloom.
I am bending my efforts now during the spray season to identify and
prosecute those who ignore the labels. If the proper authorities will not
enforce the law (and they often won't, particularly for public programs), I
will personally swear out warrants against the perpetrators.
We have lost our wild honeybees to a parasitic mite; we cannot get young
people interested in beekeeping, because there is little profit in the
business. And the "Official" South Carolina line is that wild pollinators
are not protected. That's malfeasance of our environmental "protectors."
SHEESE! Who or what will pollinate our food?
Shall we let out the schools during fruit or melon bloom, and send the
kids out with little brushes to pollinate the blossoms? It has been done.
So those of you who ignore the label directions: If you keep on, you will
be cursed by future generations of hungry people. You cannot evade the label
directions by notifying beekeepers, then spraying as you please. If you are
spraying in the daytime, with a material with bee protection directions, and
you don't know exactly what is going on with bees in the application area,
you are negligent, possibly even criminal.
You will have to have some kind of monitoring system if you are using
residual materials, or even daytime use of non residual material. If you
don't know where the bees are or when, you cannot comply, even with current
labels. Monitor hives are ideal for this purpose, and most beekeepers would
be happy to work with you on this. I have offered to supply monitor hives to
all the public vector control agencies
and to commercial aerial applicators who do cotton. No one has ever
accepted. THEY DO NOT WANT TO KNOW! I've seen this before. Only after
some prosecutions, is there any interest.
I am sorry if this is offensive to those who carefully adhere to the
directions. We can shake hands and work together. The ones who repeatedly
ignore bee-protection directions are criminals, and must be treated as such.
The industry would be wise to do more self-policing.
<< Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Tagline Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Gravity: Not just a good idea, it's the law.>>
Protecting Pollinators: Not just a good idea, it's the law.
[log in to unmask] Dave Green, PO Box 1200, Hemingway, SC
29554
Practical Pollination Home Page Dave & Janice Green
http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html
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