In a message dated 1/11/2012 1:05:44 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:


New  research should nail the coffin lid shut on a toxic bee-killing  
pesticide
Sierra Club, January 10,  2012
http://www.sierraclub.org/biotech/whatsnew/whatsnew_2012-01-10.asp

Entire  food chain found to be contaminated, from soil to pollen to dead  
bees

Contact Laurel Hopwood, 216-371-9779 (EST)Tom Theobald  303-652-2266  (MST)
Neil Carman, PhD. 512-288-5772 / cell 512-663-9594  (CST)

The Sierra Club, with over 1.3 million members and supporters,  calls on 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to immediately suspend  the 
registration of the insecticide clothianidin, based on new scientific  evidence 
of extensive contamination in bees and soil.

Last week  (January 3, 2012) scientists at Purdue University documented 
major adverse  impacts from clothianidin, used as a seed treatment in corn, on 
honey bee  health.    The results showed clothianidin present in foraging 
areas  long after treated seed has been planted. 

The study raises questions  about the long term survival of this major 
pollinator.

"This research  should nail the coffin lid shut on clothianidin", says 
Laurel Hopwood, Sierra  Club's Chairwoman of the Genetic Engineering Action 
Team. "Despite numerous  attempts by the beekeeping industry and conservation 
organizations to persuade  the EPA to ban clothianidin, the EPA has failed to 
protect the food supply for  the American people."

Tom Theobald, a founding member of the Boulder  County Beekeeper's 
Association explains, "In 2010, I got hold of an EPA  document revealing that the 
agency has been allowing the widespread use of  this bee-toxic pesticide, 
against evidence that it's highly toxic to bees.  Clothianidin has failed to 
meet the requirements for registration. It's  continued use is in violation of 
the law."

Upon learning of the EPA's  failures, the National Honey Bee Advisory 
Board, the American Beekeeping  Federation    and The American Honey Producer's 
Association urged  the agency in a 12/8/2010 letter to cancel the 
registration of this pesticide.  Yet despite the fact that clothianidin had failed a 
critical life cycle study  which was required for registration, the agency 
responded in a 2/18/2011  letter stating "At this time, we are not aware of any 
data that reasonably  demonstrates that bee colonies are subject to 
elevated losses due to chronic  exposure to this pesticide. EPA does not intend at 
this time to initiate  suspension or cancellation actions against the 
registered uses of  clothianidin. If scientific information shows a particular 
pesticide is posing  unreasonable risk to pollinators, we stand ready to take 
the necessary  regulatory action."

Neil Carman, PhD, scientific advisor to Sierra  Club, is troubled by EPA's 
complacency. "A huge shoe has dropped. U.S.  researchers have documented 
major adverse impacts from clothianidin seed  treatments in corn on honey bee 
health." Carman further explains "Because of  the vital role played by honey 
bees in crop pollination, honey bee demise  threatens the production of 
crops that produce one-third of American diets,  including nearly 100 fruits and 
vegetables. The value of crops pollinated by  bees exceeds $15 billion in 
the U.S. alone."

Hopwood exclaims, "The  time is now for EPA to quit dodging the illusion of 
oversight and instead,  cancel this bee- killing pesticide.  If we travel 
too far down our  current path, we could create conditions in our food system 
much like those  that brought down the financial  system."

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