BCSS - Forum

ragamala wrote:You seem to have bought the agrochemical industry propaganda, Dave. I don't agree.

Unfortunately what he says is true, lower pesticide use = more wastage due to predators.
This means more land scape requirements to get the same yield and increased prices.

They are a essential necessity, bees are unfortunately a victims of this necessity.

Again we will have to disagree on this. May I respectfully suggest that you investigate for yourself facts to justify or otherwise what you assert as your "truth". There is much evidence now emerging that your assumed simple correlation between pesticide use yields is fallacious. This is, as often the case, a complex subject, but to assume maximum pesticide use is the answer to perceived need to improve food production is simplistic in the extreme, and has to be weighed against a host of other considerations including soil fertility, erosion, land use, and of particular concern now water usage and climate change considerations. Certainly, for example, there are recent studies asserting that significant reductions in pesticide use in Europe could be achieved without yield loss, and research published this year by the UN supports the view that the agrochemical industry's dogged promotion of its products is both damaging and unnecessary. I don't intend arguing this further, as it broadens into political and economic issues which are perhaps not all entirely appropriate here, but do urge anyone to do some investigation to avoid buying the chemical industry's hype wholesale.

What I think particularly misleading is the idea that bees are just an incidental but regrettable collateral damage feature of pesticide use. Bees and other insects are vital to pollination of commercial farmed crops. An essential factor in agriculture. At least Gove seems to have realised that.

Back to the issue of most import to ourselves, despite the misleading Telegraph headlines, I have been able to find no evidence of Gove believing in a "total ban" on neonics, (far less on any other bee-harming pesticides, or btw gylphosate, potentially even more damaging to human health). The suggestion is only that the UK would follow or support further EU plans to extend a ban to further crops beyond current restrictions. To my knowledge these do not extend even to commercial glasshouses, far from a "total ban", so maybe the fears raised in the OP are not justified.

As a farmer I can tell you that to maximise productivity you need optimal use of pesticides herbicides and fertilisers, all of which is harmful to the biodiversity of farmland, which is why we dont use any. The downside to that is our stock densities are half that of our neighbours which means our beef is too expensive for the supermarkets ect the upside is great biodiversity.

I see that extensive 'plates' of nitrate accumulations have formed in the earth below farm land. Important of course, because many of us will end up drinking water that has passed through.

Re glyphosate, I have seen no actual evidence that careful usage does actually harm humans - only rumours. Until the proof exists (and there has been plenty of time for somebody to come up with a definitive conclusion) I shall continue to spray around borders and trees in my two acre garden a couple of times a year. It may be considered that there are more important things in life than my garden, but not to me.