Neonicotinoids are killing honeybees – sign the Soil Association petition today to help get them banned

09 July 2009

The Soil Association is calling on the Government to protect our honeybees. Lend your voice to our campaign and sign our petition calling on Hilary Benn, the UK’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs to ban neonicitinoid pesticides with immediate effect [1]. These pesticides have been shown to kill honeybees and are thought to be a contributory factor in the recent dramatic increase in honeybee deaths [2].

Neonicotinoids have already been withdrawn in France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia. The Soil Association believes that there is already enough evidence to justify an urgent ban in the UK today.

Sign our petition today: http://www.soilassociation.org/bees.aspx

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For more information please contact the Soil Association press office:
Sam Allen T: 0117 3145170
Clio Turton T: 0117 9142448
E: press@soilassociation.org

Notes to editors:
[1] Read more about the Soil Association’s campaign:
Press release: Soil Association condemns decision not to ban pesticides that kill honey bees (April 2009)
Press release: Soil Association calls for urgent ban on dangerous pesticides linked to honey bee deaths (October 2008)

[2] Why neonicotinoids are bad for bees
Neonicotinoids work as an insecticide by blocking specific neural pathways in insects’ central nervous systems. The chemicals impair bees’ communication, homing and foraging ability, flight activity, ability to discriminate by smell, learning, and immune systems – all of which make them vulnerable.

More information: Soil Association bee briefing

Many thanks to Mentor Digital for our fantastic bee animation: http://www.soilassociation.org/bees.aspx