Franklin Matters: "the chemicals pose a serious risk of harm to honey bees and other pollinators"

Saturday, February 25, 2017

"the chemicals pose a serious risk of harm to honey bees and other pollinators"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"A type of pesticide many beekeepers blame for mass bee die-offs would come under tighter regulation under a bill filed in the Massachusetts legislature in January.

"I believe this is a responsible attempt to limit the amount of these pesticides in the environment, while recognizing the need to use these chemicals responsibly in agriculture," said state Rep. Carolyn Dykema, D-Holliston, the bill's main sponsor. "When they're used judiciously and properly, we can mitigate the impact on pollinators."

Over the past decade, pesticides containing a classification of chemicals called neonicotinoids have come under mounting suspicion by beekeepers, who have reported high death rates among their honeybees. Nationally, annual honey bee losses have averaged around 30 percent over the past 10 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170224/lawmakers-considering-pesticide-restrictions-to-limit-bee-die-offs