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