Presidential acknowledgement of the issue is significant, isn’t it? A task force is not the “usual channels” which are clearly helpless against Big Ag. And a Presidential task force puts the onus on Obama rather than Vilsack — Meanwhile, how many of you have switched to eating only organic? That’s an easy first step. Save a bee yourself today. Donna On Jun 21, 2014, at 3:25 PM, l <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Laurel says this initiative is a feel-good thing. I agree.--Tom Mathews > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Laurel Hopwood <[log in to unmask]> > To: CONS-SPST-BIOTECH-FORUM <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Sat, Jun 21, 2014 12:26 pm > Subject: White House task force charged with saving bees from mysterious decline > > http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/20/bees-die-off-mystery-white-house-plan-save > White House task force charged with saving bees from mysterious decline > (edited) > > Barack Obama is taking steps save honey bees from the die-off, ordering new research into the pesticides linked to the pollinators' collapse. > > The presidential memorandum released by the White House charges a new task force with producing a strategy to stop the alarming decline of honeybees, butterflies and other pollinators. The memorandum also for the first time directs the EPA to carry out research into the role of a new class of pesticides, neonicotinoids, that have been linked with the collapse of the honeybees. > > However, Obama stopped short of a ban on neonicotinoids, as the European Union has done. > > The Center for Food Safety in its response said: "There is already a wealth of peer reviewed literature demonstrating the harms of pesticides to bees and other pollinators." > > laurel writes: The evidence is in about the neonic link with the honeybee demise. Too bad the President bowed down to big ag and failed to follow the EU lead. This is a feel good thing. > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-BIOTECH-FORUM list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp