After all the hue and cry, here's a surprise -
No pesticides at all were banned in Germany.
There was only a temporary suspension of the
use of certain pesticides on treated seeds in
specific types of pneumatic seed drills.
We have all been misled by a press that should
fact-check more, and use more precise language.
We have been further misled by people with
agendas that don't really have any interest
in the facts when the facts don't match their
agenda.
Here's one reporter who got his facts straight:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/25367916
"Germany..... lifted a temporary ban
on some of Bayer AG.'s insecticides
for the treatment of canola seeds...
Bayer's corn seed treatment Poncho,
together with three other corn
treatments, remain suspended until
better seed treatment and sowing
methods have been developed..."
I was pointed to the MSNBC story by a
chemist who can actually pronounce the
names of all these pesticides. Here
is a list of what was temporarily
subjected to the initial suspension:
Antarc, (imidacloprid [neonic] + beta-cyfluthrin [pyrethroid])
Chinook, (same as above)
Cruiser (thiamethoxam [neonic])
Elado, (clothianidin [neonic] + beta-cyfluthrin [pyrethroid])
Faibel, (imidacloprid [neonic] + something else)
Mesurol (methiocarb [carbamate])
Poncho, (clothianidin [neonic])
So more than just neonicotinoids were subjected to the
temporary suspension.
What was the common factor between all these different pesticides?
The "seed treatment and sowing methods" mentioned in the article.
Why were some of the pesticides taken off the suspension list?
The article explains clearly:
"...on the canola products was now
lifted because the ventilation used
in corn sowing machines, which
aggravated the spread of the insecticide,
is not used in canola sowing."
Further, we have the original suspension
order from Germany's BVL, which when combined
with the MSNBC report, gives a much more clear
impression of the intent of the temporary
suspensions:
http://tinyurl.com/6ktc9u
Now, this is a Google translation, and the English
is far less than a perfect. I'll paste a better one
for the key paragraph.
Where the Google Translation says "This examination
revealed that the distribution...", a better
translation would be:
"The enquiry showed that the use of pneumatic
sowing machines of a particular construction
type for the sowing of seeds treated with
insecticides led to a higher degree of bee
exposure than was hitherto assumed in the
registration process."
So, Germany suspended only the planting of
these seed treatments with specific pneumatic
drills. The pesticides were still "approved
for use" by farmers who use non-pneumatic
planting equipment.
But don't expect anyone to pay any attention
to the facts, and don't expect to see it all
explained clearly anywhere else but here.
I'm sure it will become another myth that
will be difficult to put a stake into the
heart of, just like the nonsense about
self-described "organic beekeepers" not
having problems with CCD.
Any people wonder why I can get a little
testy about minor details like "the facts"
sometimes... sheesh.
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