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Date: | Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:05:56 EDT |
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Admittedly, there were abuses of the indemnity program. Jimmy Carter put an
end to the program.
However, when it was in place, EPA had a pesticide lab that processed bee
samples for pesticides at NO CHARGE to beekeepers and researchers. I made good
use of that lab.
The indemnity program required data to show that bees had been exposed to
pesticides, and at toxic levels.
The EPA lab was a key component of that program, backing up state labs.
As soon as the indemnity program went away, so did the EPA analysis lab.
The other downside - when there was no longer any place to go to collect
damages, other than via litigation; many beekeepers adopted a 'nothing can be
done' attitude. Those who went to court found it a frustrating, often
life-changing, costly exercise. Reporting of bee losses fell off - why inspect a bee
kill if the only recourse left to the beekeeper was to sue someone?
It is clear that the pesticide incident reporting system in the U.S. is
broken, at all levels from the county to the state to the federal. Some states
don't even have an apiary division/inspector anymore.
I mark the down slide beginning with the end of the indemnity program. EPA
stopped hearing from beekeepers, but the agency began hearing more and more
from the wildlife folks, especially people who hunt ducks, etc. The
wildlife/pesticide concerns seem to have grown (people don't like to eat contaminated
meat); while the bee issues more or less faded from the federal priorities.
CCD has focused attention on bee losses. One aspect of that is the
continued presence of pesticides, and bee losses. Beekeepers are now talking
directly to EPA (which I believe is a good thing) and to Bayer chemical - and
hopefully, will soon engage other chemical companies.
Jerry
Jerry
**************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or
less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001)
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