CropLife America slams EPA's approach to protecting bees from pesticides

Crop biotechnology continues to produce higher yields.
Crop biotechnology continues to produce higher yields.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently received public comments from CropLife America (CLA) criticizing the EPA’s Proposal to Mitigate Exposure to Bees from Acutely Toxic Pesticide Products.

The biggest takeaway from the EPA’s proposal would be a ban on foliar applications of products containing any of 76 active pesticide ingredients during blooming season, when bees are busiest with pollination.

The CLA said in the comments that the proposal would hinder agricultural production without positively impacting honeybee health.

“Honeybees are crucial to agricultural production, and the key to promoting their health lies in farmers and beekeepers working together,” Jay Vroom, CLA's president and CEO, said. “Through communication at the local level, growers and those providing contract pollination services can tailor solutions that work in their specific geographic areas. The crop-protection industry supports the sound and responsible usage of pesticide technology to reduce pests and fight crop disease, and we will continue to work with growers, beekeepers, regulators and other stakeholders to support bee health.

“Agriculture and bees must thrive together to benefit everyone,” Vroom said. “This past May, the president’s Pollinator Health Task Force identified private-public partnerships as one way to support our honeybees and other pollinators. We also anticipate that both pollination contracts and state pollinator management plans can positively impact honeybee health and agricultural productivity. Before we jump to intensive nationwide regulatory policy changes, we need to look at the local level to make sure growers and beekeepers can properly coordinate their activities. Increased organization among all farming stakeholders leads to a more efficient and sustainable food supply for us all.”
 
The CLA is a member of the Honey Bee Health Coalition, a group whose main focus is improving the health of honeybees and other pollinators.