"To EPA's knowledge, none of the incidents that led to suspensions [in Europe] have been associated with Colony Collapse Disorder," the agency said in an advisory.

The forgot to add, "because big business says so."

It's always about the Benjamins ain't it.

If the honeybee populations on this planet plummet we are all screwed! The honeybee is the most integral part of pollination and if the EPA continues to be blind to research that has identified the culprit in colony collapses then our food supply, or the lack of it, will turn our country into a third world country! I don't know about you but I don't want to live in that world!!

Kevin in Texas....... You are absolutely correct. If this is true and the EPA bans this pesticide, Too many people will be blaming government regulations for the price of corn going up. Too many of them are not sophisticated enough to understand how important bees are to out survival.

Err on the side of safety?

Nah, err on the side of profitability!

Gatsby you do not have a clue. Every politician with any influence from both parties are to blame for all are in the pocket of big agri (Monsanto etc.) and big pharma.

Sounds like these EPA morons need to re-read "Silent Spring." That's still required reading in school, right?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Spring

Interesting little tidbit that escaped scrutiny. Harry Reid (democrat) pushed and got the 'Food Safety' bill enacted. The bill has been used to go after small farmers, organic farmers, farmer's markets, food co-ops and anyone selling foodstuffs not being produced on a grand, agri-business scale. Guess Monsanto and Dow have their chosen hand-puppet in Reid.

It is not the republicans or the democrats who have your best interests in mind, never, ever make that mistake. The democrats are worse because they are hypocrites, they pretend to care and then turn around and use the legislation to help their campaign supporters.

The EPA stating that pesticides just weren't the cause of the bee deaths is rather ignorant and selective. Guess our Environmental PROTECTION Agency is another shill for big business. Go do a search on Monsanto, Dow, Rockefeller, the World Bank, the IMF and how they are destroying small farmers on a global scale. Then pay attention to the GMO corn. Farmers HAVE to buy corn seed from Monsanto. The world's food supply is big, big business and those companies have a lot to answer for when it comes to the destruction of self-sufficiency in third world nations.

mygirl1, blaming agibiz out of ignorance is just as bad as defending them out of ignorance. what we need is more support for research into the causes of colony collapse disorder. Fact is, right now there's no smoking gun. We need to find it, publicize it, and then force our spineless politicians to do the right thing.

Joe: go do a little research into the World Bank, Indonesia, Monsanto, Dow chemical, the Food Safety bill and a host of other agri-businesses that control the world's food supply. Did I mention how much they control of the world's food supply and production? Wonder why?

They sell pesticides and herbicides that are banned here to the third world. That should gladden your heart. Remember DDT? Agent Orange? Now Roundup is found in compost and gardeners can't get their produce to grow. Chemical fertilizers used on a grand scale have resulted in nitrogen depletion in the soil and top soil is becoming increasingly less fertile. Then there is the matter of the chemical runoff into drinking water, ask some of the communities in CA about their water.

Joe: In reference to the cause of the colony die off's there have been many theories put forth. Little has been done to create a cohesive research project. The mass bee deaths in Germany co-incided with insecticde laced corn seed being forced into the ground and the machine doing the planting left a very large insecticide laced cloud. Shortly after the plantings the bee's began dying in vast numbers. Now, generally when something like that happens its a pretty good indication of cause. The traditional method of planting, not creating a cloud, also left dead bees in its wake. Guess it's the little flies that infect hives that killed those bees? No one wants to address the possiblity that chemical pesticide could be the cause, that would cost producers scads of money and they don't like losing money.

The one thing I find interesting is that in all the talk, talk, talk, it never comes up in the conversation that it is basic fact that the world is overpopulated with humans. I guess it is politically incorrect to accept the fact that if we had 3-5 billion less people that bee populations would most likely flourish because less food would be needed to support us, hence less insecticides needed to create such foods.

We have strayed so far from our mother we wouldn't recognize her. The indians had it right, and in our ignorance, we called them savages.

joe mota, I am all in with this idea! Who has the money, who will publish it, and who will force change. I have eighteen programs sitting in my vault, research already done and developed. I can give you the price for each one if you are interested! If you read my other postings, there are ones that can touch almost every human being in some way. Get out your checkbooks!!!!!!!

Pesticides kill bees? Hmmm... who'd have thunk?

In this country, CCD really took off with the widespread commercial practice of hauling beehives from place to place over the country to place them near things at or near their pollination peak, i.e. an orchard in full bloom. In the past when this was done it was usually a once-a-year thing between a farmer and an area beekeeper who hauled a few hives over on the back of his pickup in exchange for the extra honey he knew would be produced and maybe a few bucks. Now beehives are hauled all over the place by eighteen-wheelers, sometimes for hundreds, even thousands of miles. This practice almost has to be a factor in the widening of the reach of CCD in North America. When local bees were used, they had some built-up immunity to the toxins and pesticides in general usage in the area, as they were the descendants of bees who had previously survived such. Now they're exposed all over the country to G-d only know what and coexisting with the remaining area bees for a few days or weeks at a time, potentially spreading whatever is wrong to them. I have noted just in the last few years a precipitous drop in the number of honeybees in my garden and on the clover, only partially made up for by a small seeming increase in the number of bumblebees and other bees. SOMETHING is seriously wrong, and the uncomfortable questions have got to be asked now, while there is still food on the shelves.

I know it is currently in vouge to jump to blame every environmental issue on a big company and /or chemical and/or process but...

This does not explain why the bees in areas which produce little to no corn have sufferd the same fate during the same time period. It does not explain in any way why wild bee colonies in the mountians and forests have also suffered the same when they are often hundreds of miles from the nearest corn patch, let alone an industrial farm. Nor does it explain why the mites and/or fungus mentioned in the article is found in these decimated wild colonies.

I'm not defending the major players in this story, I tend to agree that they have excessive control and power but just using them as a scapegoat when that conclusion falls far short of explaing all the facts is shortsighted, ignorant and foolish.

john-737278 - I believe your post is the most correct and insightful statement in this thread.

We live in a world of pesticides. There's no escaping that.

What bothers most people is that the EPA, government in general, and big business do not have a track record of being open and honest regarding when there are problems. This doesn't sound like its any exception.

I know what is killing the honey bees where I live: it is mosquito spraying at night. In the morning there are thousands of dead bees in the street that have fallen from our flowering trees . I asked around about it and the consensus seems to be that they don't believe bees collect at night so therefore they are not in danger (( the dead ones would claim different however)). One of my undergrad degrees is in biology so I know thousands of dead honey bees and bumblebees when I see them. I am not saying this is the only thing, perhaps it is a fungus, or parasite in addition BUT this spraying doesn't help at all.

Look no further than Jehovah God, the Creator. NOTHING happens in this wicked world without Him allowing it. Try as they may, science will NEVER explain away the Hand of God, and His Fingerprints ALL OVER the entire universe.!!!

Also worth noting that "neonicotinoids" are a form if synthetic nicotine, a natural insecticide produced by tobacco. You do not see many insects eating those big fat tobacco leaves. At small doses, nicotine causes stimulation of the nerve synapses - a temporary high. At larger doses, you start jerking around uncontrollably as the nerve synapses are overstimulated, leading to a very painful death. Smoke 'em if you got 'em soldier!

This first came into light about 3 or4 years ago, but most of u brushed it off as will most readers today. sad

In early fiscal year 2012, 739 pesticide cases comprising 1,154 active ingredients are scheduled for registration review. (These numbers include cases that were scheduled but were not required to go through registration review because there are no active registrations for these pesticides in the U.S.) Newly registered pesticides will be folded in each year. The Agency must complete the registration review of each new pesticide active ingredient within 15 years of its initial registration.

The neonicotinoids are a class of insecticides with a common mode of action that affects the central nervous system of insects, causing paralysis and death. All of the neonicotinoids were registered after 1984 and were not subject to reregistration. Some uncertainties have been identified since their initial registration regarding the potential environmental fate and effects of neonicotinoid pesticides, particularly as they relate to pollinators. Data suggest that neonicotinic residues can accumulate in pollen and nectar of treated plants and may represent a potential exposure to pollinators. Adverse effects data as well as beekill incidents have also been reported, highlighting the potential direct and/or indirect effects of neonicotinic pesticides. Therefore, among other refinements to ecological risk assessment during registration review, the Agency will consider potential effects of the neonicotinoids to honeybees and other pollinating insects.

The registration review docket for imidacloprid opened in December 2008, and the docket for nithiazine opened in March 2009. To better ensure a “level playing field” for the neonicotinoid class as a whole, and to best take advantage of new research as it becomes available, the Agency has moved the docket openings for the remaining neonicotinoids on the registration review schedule (acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, thiacloprid and thiamethoxam) to FY 2012.

A little more info on this problem...

“A key mechanism for honey bee exposure may occur during the period when maize is typically planted across much of the Midwest (mid-April through early May). At this time, the energetic requirements of honey bee colonies are increasing rapidly and pollen and nectar resources are being gathered for colony growth. Talc and soil dusts from planting are mobile and have the potential to contaminate any flowering plants that are commonly found in or near agricultural fields and are visited by honey bees, including dandelion. It is a preferred pollen and nectar source for honey bees during this period, when floral resources are relatively limited.”

Later in the season, when planting is largely complete, the researchers found bees collect maize pollen that contains translocated neonicotinoids and other pesticides from seed. Translocation of neonicotinoids into pollen has previously been reported for maize grown from imidacloprid-treated seed, but the researchers say the degree to which honey bees in their study gathered maize pollen was surprising. “The finding that bee-collected pollen contained neonicotinoids is of particular concern because of the risks to newly-emerged nurse bees, which must feed upon pollen reserves in the hive immediately following emergence,” they say.

“Lethal levels of insecticides in pollen are an obvious concern, but sub-lethal levels are also worthy of study as even slight behavioral effects may impact how affected bees carry out important tasks such as brood rearing, orientation and communication.”

reference - http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?263169-Purdue-university-study-confirms-neonicotinoids-on-maize-killing-honeybees

If you really want something to worry about - Check-up on Atrazine...

Another chemical widely used by the corn farmers, which is polluting ground water across the country. While the EU has banned this chemical due to its connections to sex-changes in male frogs (making them functional FEMALES) and human birth problems... The US has not, but there are reviews currently understudy...

Thank you, AC, good post.

Oh, wow. It took all those rocket scientists all these years to figure out there was a link between the insecticides used on commercial crops, and the death of hives pollinated by those of professional beekeepers, and wild bees in heavily sprayed areas. Well, duh. Amateur beekeepers have known this for years, having hardly any increase in the loss of THEIR hives, other than natural losses, or loss connected with recent exposure to those self-same chemicals.

The real sad part here is that we are decimating the bees (on which the planet depends) so we can grow vast and absurd levels of corn so the food producers can make high-fructose corn syrup which they sell to Americans to make them morbidly obese. So, we are trading bees for huge fat people.

I say just turn 10% of those high-fructose corn syrup fields into farms that produce actual food that people can eat and don't kill bees - like organic vegetables. Wow, what a concept!

Check out the movie "King Corn". It's on Netflix. if you have it. A very start-to-finish look at the Big Corn Industry's control and practices in raising corn from seed planting to processing the crop, and all the surprises in between as well, by two best friends with zero farming experience that get the inside tour to Modern Corn.

Corn, a very important crop, shouldn't have the right to kill off the bees to produce what could be grown responsibly instead. Monsanto & Friends are not doing the World as big a favor as advertised. We really have no choice or say, though I will continue to do the little I can to contribute to positive change occuring, but I'm not holding my breath, either.

Peace

The overwhelming majority of U.S. corn, including exported corn, feeds livestock—not humans. There is a popular misconception that corn is exported from the U.S. to feed those in malnourished countries, and thus ethanol use will diminish exports to these countries. The truth is the majority of corn exports are used to feed livestock in developed countries. Importantly, the U.S. ethanol industry is helping to satisfy foreign demand for high-protein, high-energy feedstuffs by exporting more than 1 million metric tons of distillers grains to countries around the world in 2005.

U.S. corn growers have produced the three largest corn crops in history in the past three years. In 2007, corn producers harvested a record 13 billion bushels of corn. Data from ProExporter Network suggests that while total corn demand in 2007/08 will be about 900 million bushels higher than in 2006/07, total supply will be about 1.6 billion bushels higher.

"There is no conflict between food and fuel—we can produce both,” said Ken McCauley, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “Demand for corn is at unprecedented levels, and we fully expect unprecedented levels of supply as well. This spring U.S. corn growers planted the largest crop this country has seen since the 1940s. Given normal weather conditions this summer, we’ll produce the largest corn crop in history, and that will allow us to readily satisfy demand for livestock feed, human food processing, exports and fuel ethanol.”

While even Al Gore has said that, "Using corn to make ethanol, was a bad idea..." The US Congress has increased the TAX subsidize to almost $0.50 for every blended gallon that the refiners produce. And Obama's EPA almost doubled the additive levels. Which reduce your vehicles MPG and increases your maintenance cost...

In the meantime Dow and Monsanto have convinced the less educated amongst us that they should happily use pesticide on ladybugs, earthworms, snails and just anything for the hell of it.

And Obama's EPA almost doubled the additive levels. Which reduce your vehicles MPG and increases your maintenance cost...

The current National Renewable Fuel Standard program (RFS1) was established under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which amended the Clean Air Act by establishing the first national renewable fuel standard. The U.S. Congress gave the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the responsibility to coordinate with the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and stakeholders to design and implement this new program.^[10]

The Renewable Fuel Standard called for 7.5 billion US gallons (28×10^⁶ m³) of biofuels to be used annually by 2012, expanding the market for biofuels.^[11]

The EPA announced that the 2009 Renewable Fuel Standard will require most refiners, importers, and non-oxygenate blenders of gasoline to displace 10.21% of their gasoline with renewable fuels such as ethanol. That requirement aims to ensure that at least 11.1 billion US gallons (42×10^⁶ m³) of renewable fuels will be sold in 2009, in keeping with the targets established by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). While the RFS requirement is increasing by about 23%—from 9 billion US gallons (34×10^⁶ m³) in 2008 to 11.1 billion US gallons (42×10^⁶ m³) in 2009—the percentage requirement is increasing by nearly one third, from 7.76% in 2008 to 10.21% in 2009.^[12]

The 2009 RFS is also pushing up against what is known as the "blend wall". To address the blend wall issue, DOE and others are studying the use of mid-range blends, such as E15 and E20, for use in standard gasoline-burning vehicles. Allowing all gasoline blends to contain up to 20% ethanol would double the potential market for ethanol.^[12] Biofuel in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Obama's EPA is just the same as Bush II's EPA is the same as Clinton's is the same as Bush's...ethanol is a Subsidy Crop, and ALL the Pols will play that game til the end. Blaming Obama is just trash talk.

But you are right on about the use of corn for feed over food or fuel.

Corn: The United States is, by far, the largest producer of corn in the world. Corn is grown on over 400,000 U.S. farms. In 2000, the U.S. produced almost ten billion bushels of the world’s total 23 billion bushel crop. Corn grown for grain accounts for almost one quarter of the harvested crop acres in this country. Corn grown for silage accounts for about two percent of the total harvested cropland or about 6 million acres. The amount of land dedicated to corn silage production varies based on growing conditions. In years that produce weather unfavorable to high corn grain yields, corn can be “salvaged” by harvesting the entire plant as silage.

According to the National Corn Growers Association, about eighty percent of all corn grown in the U.S. is consumed by domestic and overseas livestock, poultry, and fish production. The crop is fed as ground grain, silage, high-moisture, and high-oil corn. About 12% of the U.S. corn crop ends up in foods that are either consumed directly (e.g. corn chips) or indirectly (e.g. high fructose corn syrup). It also has a wide array of industrial uses including ethanol, a popular oxygenate in cleaner burning auto fuels.

Major Crops Grown in the United States | Ag 101 | Agriculture | US ...

Al Gore cast the deciding vote for Ethanol. He has admitted it was done to gain the farmers vote in the up-coming election...

Keep blaming Bush & the Republicans, this has been a wet dream of Pelosi and her kind for DECADES...

It was Obama who signed it into LAW. Even after there was massive information available about the environmental damage that was being caused by the US corn based ethanol and the sugar cane based ethanol in South America...

@ 5% Ethanol you lose about 10% of your MPG when this gos to 15% Ethanol you lose about 30% of your MPG. Plus the increased levels of vehicle and refining storage maintenance requirements...

There used to be a guy on here called GMO SUCKS that would usually give really good information regarding these types of stories. Wonder if Monsanto finally got to him...

It's just too bad it's the honey bees that are dying instead of the killer bees. They still seem to be thriving!

We the corporations?:

It's almost impossible to keep up with this stuff. However, if you are interested in this you might try this link: https://www.google.com/search?q=seedsofdeception.com&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&source=hp&channel=np

You'll get a nice range of places to go.

Here's another link that might interest you. This has been a very quiet story and it bears directly on the Keystone pipeline story. This will knock your socks off: http://kavika.newsvine.com/_news/2012/03/08/10614176-spill-from-hell-diluted-bitumen-tar-sands-oil-kalamazoo-river-michigan

That's part of the massive NEW oil reserves they love to talk about.

But hey, who needs clean air, water, and soil?

Mickey killer bees are honey bees too they just do not do as good a job as the native bees and european bees besides being so agressive. Various species of Bumble bees can replace honeybees to an extent but they are not as efficent as the honey bees.

No, the Bumble Bees work largely for tuna

.

As the "killer bees" (technically, "Africanized bees") migrate northward, they will become more generally genetically integrated with European bees (the common kind here) and their less desirable characteristics will be attenuated, if any honeybees at all are left in another couple of decades.

Rlquall

As the "killer bees" (technically, "Africanized bees") migrate northward, they will become more generally genetically integrated with European bees (the common kind here) and their less desirable characteristics will be attenuated, if any honeybees at all are left in another couple of decades.

That is what they thought when they cross bred them. That is what they have been saying ever since they got loose. They also said the Panama Canal would stop them. Then the cooler climate. TX,AZ.NM,LA,CA.FL,GA may not exactly be frigid but they do see frost and the bees are still migrating northward and NOT losing their aggressive attitudes. So presuming they are somehow resistant to whatever is killing the friendlier bees it won't be a panacea.

Mac,

"Mickey killer bees are honey bees too they just do not do as good a job as the native bees"

Thanks for that information! I thought killer bees didn't produce honey at all.

*That is what they thought when they cross bred them*

And they aren't wrong either. Killer Bees are all over Fla...yet you rarely hear of deaths by "Killer Bee Swarms" Heck ask any exterminator down there. They are rather a routine thing....

Why? Because they have become less aggressive as they have interbred with their cousins.

Why do we continue to allow chemical companies sell these seeds ? Why do we allow chemical companies to have any place in our food chain. Could it be that ex chemical companies heads now work for the FDA or other goverment departments. Can you call that special interests. These companies are controlling our food chain and do not care what they do in damage and all for the all mighty buck. The farmers should get together and sue these companies for loss of honey bees for their crops. But then again its hard to go after companies that are so big that they control our goverment. These are scary times. Luckily other countries are waking up to what is happening, now if only the good ole USA would.

This has been known for some time now. Countries in Europe seem to have enough sense to ban these insecticides, but America somehow seems to think it can escape the consequences of continuing to use them.

Why do we continue to allow chemical companies sell these seeds ? Why do we allow chemical companies to have any place in our food chain.

First I don't care for all the chemicals and practices of the chemical companies ... however.... Until WWII over half the population was down on the farm raising food. Today less than 2% of the population is down on the farm and they are not only feeding the USA but a large part of the world. When you can figure out a way for 2% to raise all that food for the rest of us at the current price structure let us know please. Until then get educated on what is in your food and how it is produced, choose wisely and vote with what matters, your wallet. FoodInc while a biased "documentary" is a good STARTING point. Just remember while viewing that piece they don't offer realistic alternatives at a price people are willing to pay.

@mmb,

Yes, it could be that chemical companies are in the food chain because ex-executives are now working for the government. It could also be because the average American consumer doesn't want an apple that looks like a golf ball because it wasn't chemically fertilized or doesn't want to pay five dollars for an ear of corn because the farmer's yield dtropped due to insect loss. Are all of your fruits and vegetables organically grown? If so, kudos to you. If not, then the next time you want to find a bad guy in this scenario, look in the mirror.

I do buy local organic produce. I grow a samll garden. I consume less but the best I can get. I find that quality is out standing and prices are reasonable at our local farmers market and getting cheaper as more people grow. I personally find store produce poor quality in looks and taste. And the prices are pretty high compared to the fresh local market.

In community our local foodbank has a huge organic garden so even those that say organic is to expensive get it for free and volunteers work the garden.

As more and more people grow gardens things will change. Stores throw away so much produce. I believe that there is plenty of food to go around but we are a very wasteful society and probally toss out half the food from spoliage.

The real problem is that several chemical companies control our food chain and they have no business doing so. But again like I said they also control our goverment ( policy) , but I am hopeful as more people are waking up to what is happening.

Small farms are the only way to go.

Yeah, then there are the farm subsidized, government issues. I believe that the 10 largest corporate farms in America get like 60-70% of the subsidies. I would expect they are also the major pesticide users, though I can't say this is true.

Many of the smaller farms have learned to grow with less chemicals for less profit, cause their farms are their heritage and they are realizing it is in their best interests to protect their family future and land as well.

So the usually list of suspects whom are concerned only with profit and use the subsidies as another fear talking point of strategic reserves, yeap, America, home of the patriotic corporation.

You can call it a farm subsidy but corporate welfare would be a more appreciate name. Farm subsides are just another transfer of wealth by the government from my pockets to the big corporations.

mmb

Small farms are the only way to go.

that only works in smaller communities... Wait until everyone switches over to the smaller farms or organic. Right now you are realizing low demand for the supply. I would ask what your yield is per acre but am guessing there are few acres in production and not enough of a single crop to get a solid average yield.

Back to that 2%. How many people do you think are willing/able to farm considering that 95% of the population lives on 5% of the land?

trust

Your time line is a little off. Actually, quite a bit. The proportion of people living on farms was well under 50% even before the 20th century began (in North America and Europe, at least) and dropping rapidly. The mechanization of agriculture -- the tractor, combine, hay bailer, etc., made the need for human workers less; it also freed a lot of the ground up which had previously been used to grow forage and fodder for draught animals to be used for other, more profitable crops. Also, people desired the relative steadiness of industrial jobs to the uncertainties of farm life (weather, crop prices, etc.), the increased possibilities for entertainment available in urban areas, etc. All of this occurred well prior to the widespread use of petrochemical-derived insecticides, which began largely when World War I interrupted the supplies of many of the previous naturally-derived ones (still used by many organic growers) and was vastly accelerated by the drive for production and market disruptions caused by World War II and its aftermath.

We can do better! The reason farm subsidies were enacted at a time when farmers were already a relatively small proportion of the population is that most people had warm memories of the farm of a relative or other loved one and wanted the small farmer to be able to compete. In reality, the subsidy program rapidly expanded the consolidation that was already naturally occurring due to market forces, which is why that the main recipients of this governmental largess are exactly those who need (and I would say) deserve it the least, massive agricultural behemoths. We are subsidizing them against our own best interests, but they have huge political clout bought-and-paid-for out of their massive profits.

Your time line is a little off. Actually, quite a bit. The proportion of people living on farms was well under 50% even before the 20th century began

OK so we left the farm earlier. Looking for a response to your subsidies I read 25% by the 30's... 2% is even a stretch by some estimates today. I don't see 98% being fed by 2%, or less, without modern farming.

We can do better! The reason farm subsidies were enacted at a time when farmers were already a relatively small proportion of the population is that most people had warm memories of the farm of a relative or other loved one and wanted the small farmer to be able to compete

Care to try again on that? The reason was to stabilize commodity prices and encourage those still on the farm to remain in business. Of course as time went by, the politics got involved more and more and those "little" farmers became corp franchises living on the government doles under the cloak of something else. yeah yeah whine about wiki if you like but http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_policy_of_the_United_States. The problem with subsidies and commodities, food, oil in particular, is that those making bets never take delivery but just bid up the price, subsidies are paid to support artificial prices, and when there is a shortage in a product the price spikes and when supply returns the farmers and those making bets feel that the price should remain high.

Example. Gas was $4.00 a gallon in 2008 and everyone raised prices or added "fuel" surcharges. Gas backed down to near $3.00 but those price increases and surcharges stayed put. Now that gas is up again here come the price increases and surcharges again.

But both commodity prices and subsidies are side issues to this thread. There has to be another way, I don't have that answer. People do need to be aware of where their food comes from and how it arrives at the table. Some if they really KNEW the details would lose their appetites, others accept it for the reality that it is. The best way to effect change is to become educated about where your food comes from and choose what you are comfortable with voting with your dollars.

There is a finite limit to the population that the planet can support, estimated at around 12 billion. Projections expect 10 billion by 2050. 60% of the world lives in Asia currently, about 4.1 billion. Do the math people. We may not be at a Soylent Green stage just yet but if you find that hard to choke down you may decide to NOT know what is really in your food.

Considering we are animals, and we really really really love ourselves I think it might even out the odds.

The "odds"? What odds?

Before we jump to conclusions and take any responsibility for this, I think we need to conduct some serious (by which I mean long-running and costly) investigations into bee activities.

Do we really know that colony collapse is real? Maybe the bees are staging things to look like colony collapse. Maybe they're building bee dummies in those dark, secret hives of theirs, and leaving them behind while they go off on extended vacations. Or maybe there's some sort of bee civil war going on--or any number of other things. The point is taking reasonable precautions based on the available facts is entirely premature when we can delay both thought and action by taking the time to gather an infinitude of additional facts, some tiny percentage of which may actually prove useful.

Accepting blame will just make us feel bad. It might even make us want to change things. Does anyone really want that?

Personally, I'm glad the big corporations elect to use poisons on my food that are "less toxic to other animals" because I am one of those other animals.

And less toxic is exactly the same as healthy, right?

Dave,

I like the way you think. Did you consider that the bees might be unionized, and are striking for more pollen, shorter working hours and a taxpayer-funded retirement plan?

Hmm - I think I hear the mating call of the American too-conservative moron in it's natural habitat ... known for hating everyone and everything except what they narrowly define as right and proper ... who needs the Constitution? Let's throw it out and let these people make our decisions for us - just like in Iraq!

We are poisoning the bees by allowing corporate shareholders, an extreme minority, make a few bucks at the expense of the future food sources for the entire globe, so clearly Obama is a marxist kenyan and all women who use birth control are sluts who should send us their sexy-time videos.

you idiot.

denver bill 2: I think it's impossible to know exactly what those crafty bees might be up to. You've definitely added to the list of possibilities, and we could cause irreparable harm to our very way of life if we take any action before ruling them out.

Because our very way of life seems to be doing everything possible to avoid exercising reason, restraint, intelligence, and any other characteristic that separates true humans from the almost-evolved apes we live among.

Sorry, my humorous sarcasm took a slightly bitter turn there at the end.

@Gatsby,

Apparently you are so taken with your own point of view that you failed to recognize Dave's and my comments for what they are -- humorous repartee. Since you appear to be comedically challenged, allow me to introduce you to another term from the lexicon of those who enjoy life:

A buffoon is someone who is ridiculous and amusing, such as a clown or a court jester. You almost qualify. As soon as you learn to be amusing, you'll be there.

Gatsby: Sorry, but with the prevelance of IRAs, 401(k)'s, 403(b)'s, H.R. 10's and the like, most Americans are in fact corporate shareholders. So, if you are so bothered by this, try to learn a little about shareholder activism; you might even like it.

dems get most of the dirty business money...just check the facts....read billary's bio

All in the name of God.

If you believe "god will provide" what does it matter what you do? The religious right and now the Repuglican't party they have taken over will stop at nothing to promote their corporate greed. And why not? god will provide. These same chemicals that have been killing off my beloved honey bees are also killing the Gulf of Mexico, with a "dead zone" the size of Massachutes. Now, they want to forbid the use of contraceptives, so we can have an even larger population to feed, house and clothe, at the expense of the planet. PLEASE PEOPLE, FIRE ALL REPUGLICAN'Ts and vote Democrats in, everywhere. It is the party PLATFORM that counts, not who's running. Please, please please, get informed on the PLATFORMs for each party, and make an educated vote.

Dear God, quit with the misinformation. If you think the democrats have your back, guess again. They don't and being a useful idiot to help push an agenda, is, well, idiotic. Both parties are unscrupulous, opportunistic and could give a tinker's damn about the country. All they care about is getting re-elected and holding on to their power base.

The Republicans historically are the worst, especially when it comes to openly pandering to mega-corporations. However, please note that the EPA is currently controlled by Obama and they are claiming that pesticides aren't killing bees. Common sense would say that insecticides do indeed kill bees, since, newsflash, they're insects. No bees, no pollination, no food. That simple.

Mygirl, you have a lot of insight for someone who is, judging from her avatar, really, really horny.

good response mygirl. 44special you are not looking at the situation very honestly if you believe one party or another has it all figured out and has your best interests in mind. both parties are only interested in control and power. neither of those have any thing to do with our life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness. term limits and campaign finance restrictions are what we need to keep some of the greed out of our political system. unfortuneately our 'political' system is so badly damaged at this point that it may take complete destruction to properly rebuild it.

NO BEES, NO POLLEN, NO FOOD- You got that right, As a former beekeeper with many many hives I can say that except for the creatures that walk on four legs - just about everything we eat MUST be pollenated by honeybees or there wouldn't be anything to eat except grass.

Regarding letting out bees to pollenate farms. Most Farmers take the trouble NOT to spray while the valuable bees are on their property knowing full well the consequences.

For that person who is bewildered by finding dead bees in the morning-not 100 percent of bees can make it back to the safety of their hives by dark they are so busy and distracted by an abundance of pollen and nectar where they are working they simple are too piggish to leave and would rather get it while the gettin is good. After all, honey is the bees only food.

I knew it was the bee's fault Bill - thanks for clarifying the subject with your intelligent and well-informed comment ... but I am pretty sure they were brought here intentionally in order to help propagate the bounty of fruits and vegetables that we use to feed our faces in America with.

My guess is you will be crying the loudest when apples cost $34 each - you can always look back and blame Obama right?

Actually Bill made a good point. None of the varieties of Apis mellifera occur naturally anywhere in the western hemisphere. The natives called them "white man's flies." The article took an oxymoronic twist when it said:

Bees play a critical role in the pollination of crops, and thus a threat to bee colonies can potentially affect entire ecosystems.

Yes, honeybees play a critical role in pollinating crops, but those aren't ecosystems. They confused agriculture for ecosystems! An ecosystem is biodiverse, with complex interactions between myriad organisms. Agriculture is a stark opposite, with a single crop species supported by a minimal number of other managed species - mainly humans, pollinators, and sometimes rotation crops and biological pest control.

The loss of honeybees is a serious problem, but let's not act like our rainforests depend on it. Separate issues!

JLM, you are talking about the sort of "monoculture" generally practiced by corporate giants, not the sort of biodiversity usually practiced by, say, your friendly local organic farmer selling his CSA (community-supported agriculture, not Confederate States of America) shares of his diversity of crops around which you can plan a plethora of healthy meals. These peoples' operations truly deserve to be called "ecosystems".

In my early twenties one of the best experieces of my life occurred when I found a huge one and a half inch Monarch Butterfly cacoon on a goldenrod stalk. I broke off the branch holding it and brought it into my house to watch it hatch. About a week and a half later the formally dark green thing started to turn tan then black then slightly orange inside- Something was definetly happening- and in a few days and low and behold emerged a fully developed beautiful Monarch with wet folded wings. It took another twenty four hours for the wings to completely unfold and dry out- by this time I thought it best to bring it back outside and place it near where I found it.

Wonders of nature

I woke today, went outside and noticed a very nice orange barred sulphur, a ruddy daggertail butterfly which I hadn't seen for a long time, though I saw a couple Giant and regular Swallowtails, lots of Zebras(my oaks have been there hanging home for well over a year now!), some other beauties!

Was a great way to start the day! It made me feel a bit lucky.

I miss the Monarchs, as well.

Yes, the wonders of nature! Nirvana! Zebras are my favorite.

ROFL. You. are. clueless. no bees = no food for anyone. Where is grown makes no difference unless you plan on hand-pollinating (look it up) each of your plants individually.

Any idea how long that would take? You just don't have the sense or knowledge-base to be afraid...

yep - they have already mounted an extensive multi-million dollar propaganda campaign to deny it all until we have to buy each plant from montesanto and only pollinate with their written consent.

I'm sure the farmers would be glad to not use insecticides anymore as long as the consumer doesn't mind paying double what they are now paying for corn products. Bugs just love to eat up crops that are not sprayed with chemicals.

To bad their chemicals kill all the GOOD insects also. Also their insecticide coated seeds are now having problems, like root rot on the corn crops. You see after a while their chemicals no longer work and have the same problems as before only diffrence is that we will have to hand pollenate our crops in the future like they have had to do in parts of Japan. If we continue to use these chemicals we are not going to have honey bees to do it the future.

You think food is expensive now just wait til there are not any honeybees left. Then where will you be pointing your finger. Surely not at these chemical companies that have caused this using the excuse it for cheap affortable food.

Don't you know that it'll all be okay? I know, because I just saw another ad telling me what a great guy the American farmer is, sponsored by ... Monsanto!

Rlquall

Don't you know that it'll all be okay? I know, because I just saw another ad telling me what a great guy the American farmer is, sponsored by ... Monsanto!

Maybe it's time to dump your browser cookies there.. Not seen a Monsanto or ag advertisement yet. Plenty for the ipad and banking... but then again I do searches on those sort of things.

We kept bees, and CCD was not a common topic twenty years ago, although other problems such as EFB (European Foul Brood), and of course the impending arrival of Africanized ("killer") bees were.

Sorry to tell you this but it isn't like the farmer has too much choice. It's kind of like when Henry Ford said you can get your model T in any color- as long as it is black.

stonepipe,

That's hardly a comparison. A farmer chooses to operate under the production model to follow depending on the market the target market. The target market could well be organic, or it could just be people who want a commitment to minimize chemical use.

In fact, using Ford is only arguing against your point since Ford's refusal to offer choice (in order to keep down cost) paved the way for General Motors to dwarf it as the auto industry leader. Cost is big, but it's not everything.

Zack, Scientists are not destroying anything! We receive funding to perform research. Who has the most money, what group controls the distribution of that money, and the "politics" of the findings are all part of the "game". Give you an example: Brucellosis has been a problem in the Greater Yellowstone Area since 1917. Billions of research dollars have been poured into this problem. Thousands of non profit groups have made millions debating, protesting, and exposing these failures. The problem still remains and scientists, politicans, and non profit officials have made careers from this situation. The cause of the problem is known, a program to solve it is in place, and the outcome can be achieved in two years without capturing or destroying any of the animals. Why has this situation continued? MONEY!!!!!!

I moved to my city 7 years ago and am seeing more and more of the local honey bees on my plants. I have a completely organic garden and they must be spreading the word.

The EPA already ruled this out years ago and still can't link the pesticides as the cause since in REAL tests it had no ill effect and the honeybee die off occurs in places without access to insecticides.

The 'patent' holders are funding this research in Europe to do as Dow did with their patent ending R12, R22. They don't make money when their patents run out so they help create research studies that lean towards the outcome they seek. Why do you thing Dursban and Daconil are no longer used. Studies paid by the companies that created them (patents ended/ending) found they added trace amounts to water and soil runoff. You peeing in a stream cause the same effects.

Try to get an education in the truth and not one side, they both will tell you lies.

MrKnowItAll -- Are you talking about the elk? Would love to hear what you know. Also, loved you on Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Rlquall, All ungulates at Yellowstone! See my post at 1.13! Gotta love the hat!!!!!