Having lost many a colony here in France on my main crop (Sunflowers), I have taken to leaving my hives in the Sweet Chestnut forests. Previous to seed treated sunflower, the hives were brought down to the sunflower fields from the forests. There a good easy crop was practically assured. Visiting remnant colonies in treated fields that only a few days previous were full of healthy bees was not good for the blood pressure! Ensuring that the hives are away from Sunflower and Maize has cut my crop total, but at least when they are brought home they are good and heavy, full of bees and survive winter and expand in spring. According to the Agro-Chemical companies - there is hardly ever a problem with their products. Just use properly! SO, why the continual decline in bird life, natural pollinators, wild flowers, soil structure - basically the biological fabric holding agriculture together? Fine, remove hives to a safe distance, save the bees. But, this treating of symptoms and accepting of to be the norm is a very sad reflection of our willingness to be dominated. Maybe, we as an industry should be stating the fact that chemicals in our honey is the way of the modern world - and the customer should accept it! But what happens? We are told to clean up or loss the market. Since this is the case, We, as an industry should insist and fight for this to be reciprocated - and not shrink away, moving our hives into the hills. During the last few years, I have learnt alot about manipulation of fact, methods of presentation, selective quotation, scientific independence, points being out of order and stark facts being ignored. It's called the world of Business - and we are being walked over! With a call to get organised - the response is that we can't even co-ordinate treatment periods when it's possible! Me thinks that there is need of a big cabinet reshuffle in the "guiding lights" of Apiculture. No apologies for the rant! Peter