Nicotine Bees-New Movie About CCD

Honeybees are crucial pollinators at all levels of human food production. Yet our food supply may be severely impacted by the recently identified Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) syndrome that has annually wiped out more than 30% of all honeybees from 2005 to today!

In light of the mounting evidence that new seed chemical coatings are deadly to bees, Sierra Club has been urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban the use of specific chemical treatments to protect our bees and crops until more study can be done.

At issue are the nicotinyl insecticides (also known as neonicotinoids) being used in a new way -- as seed coatings. For years, farmers have been spraying neonicotinoids onto their crops to stop insect infestation. Now huge agribusiness corporations have acquired patents to coat their proprietary corn seeds with these neonicotinoids. These “neonics” are extremely persistent. They enter the plant and are present in pollen and on droplets of water on leaves.

Federal agencies in France, Germany and Italy have already taken responsible regulatory actions to suspend use of these pesticides based on the best available scientific evidence. Strikingly, honeybee populations in Italy immediately rebounded when these chemicals were suspended!

The State of California has required that almost all 282 nicotinyl pesticide products be immediately re-evaluated because of toxic concentrations in pollen and nectar, and high residual concentrations in soil. Unfortunately, the EPA is moving too slowly to take action to suspend nicotinyl pesticides.

The Sierra Club Genetic Engineering Action Team has been asking the EPA to suspend use of nicotinyl insecticides until the EPA obtains scientific evidence that sublethal effects do not cause harm to America's critically important honey bees. They urge the American public to view the outstanding documentary entitled Nicotine Bees, documenting the introduction of neonicotinoids and the role they likely play in CCD.

To watch the trailer and purchase the video or request a screening, see http://NicotineBees.com