The latest on Neonicitinoids

Do you think you have been avoiding neonicitinoids

in order to save the honeybees?

Photo by Kansas State University

Here's what you need to know about this emotionally charged topic.....

The "neonic" debate rages on.  The topic is so widely discussed that this class of chemicals is no longer referred to as 'neonicitinoids'.  They're now referred to as simply neonics (NEE OH NIX).

It is an emotionally charged topic, people can be misinformed,

and often, the arguments made on either side are not always so clear cut.
Please DO read to the end.  This is NOT a tirade against neonics, and the
results may surprise you.

It is a topic on everyone's mind.  I recently sat in on a 90 minute seminar on neonics put on by 

Ball Publishing, in which 300 growers and industry professionals participated.
In fact, this webinar was SO popular, they're doing a command repeat performance.

The first thing addressed, of course, was the affect of neonics on honeybees.

This is one of the slides, and the decline of bees can not be blamed entirely on neonics, 

so much of this is legitimate, I'm sure.

Photo by American Hort

The "pro-neonic"group insists that they're safe for bees and butterflies, and went on to say that there are myriad other factors that endanger bee populations.

True enough, there likely is a combination of reasons or causes and no one knows how to
'weigh' the factors, but this illustration suggests that all contribute equally.
I began to wonder if neonics could be just the straw that broke the camel's back in combination
with all the other hurdles bees face in today's world.

One glaring omission was 'loss of habitat'.  With farmers planting from fence to fence and more homeowners opting for grass lawns instead of a variety of flowering plants in their yards,
bees, butterflies and all pollinators have a dwindling supply of food and habitat.

   

Another reason cited by the 'pros' to use neonics is that they are safer for their employees. This IS something we all can and should embrace, although the cynic in me questions whether or not this was a driving factor until forced to defend the practice.  Most chemicals are sprayed, and have a 48 hour re-entry period before the air quality is considered safe for human exposure.  

Neonics are granular and not airborne, so there is no re-entry period.

If you've read Tomatoland by Barry Estabrook, you know these re-entry periods are not enforced

and this puts thousands of agriculture workers at risk every day.

If you haven't read this book, please do.

 ON THE OTHER HAND:

The 'anti-neonic' camp feels good about raising public awareness and 

public opinion has influenced several states into writing and enacting laws that 

require special labeling.  The anti group takes great care in investigating and avoiding plants that have been treated with neonics.  And I am all in favor of transparency in labeling.

  You can read more about that HERE and HERE

Here's the big take away, folks:

Because a grower chooses to not use neonicitinoids, that 

DOES NOT

mean that they are not using chemicals unless they are growing organically.

Certainly we all know that there are many pesticides that are unsafe for pollinators, too.

Um, yeah.  YAY us for not thinking of that.

Photo by Bell Nursery

Public opinion has swayed The Home Depot into labeling the plants they sell 

that have been treated with neonics. 

It's a step in the right direction, but.  

In addition to what I believe are deceptively written tags, a recent study revealed that most of the consumers who were purchasing plants with these tags believed that the plants were BETTER and wouldn't get any pests because they have been treated.  

In other words, the use of neonics was perceived as a 'value-added feature'.

EPIC FAIL.

Then, Renato Zardo of Green Circle Growers in Ohio spoke.

Renato explained how his greenhouse has switched entirely to using predatory insects/biological controls and has suspended the use of neonics in favor of 'safer' pesticides.  

The result of their studies indicated that this change

SAVED THEM MONEY.

Photo by Green Circle Growers

The switch was predicated by one of their largest customers requesting that they discontinue the use of neonics.  As a result of this request, Green Circle Growers switched to 100% neonic free for all customers, which was easier for them to manage.  

They identified all the potential issues, such as employee safety, productivity loss or gain due to re-entry times, the increased labor costs of more frequent applications of insecticides safe for use with beneficial insects, and the efficacy of biological control.

Photo by Green Circle Growers

In one year, they released 19,000,000 predatory wasps 

and found their poinsettia operation 

MORE profitable 

than in previous years.

Photo by Green Circle Growers

 A big thank you to the folks at Ball Publishing for hosting this webinar.

I was, before this webinar, conflicted in some ways about the use of neonicitinoids.

• Do we expect businesses to disregard the financial bottom line? 
• Do we really know if neonics kill the bees? 
•  Are neonics less harmful to the workers in the greenhouses and fields? 
• Can growers get by without them?

The most prevalent argument for the use of neonics was always cost.

Conflict: Resolved!!

 There are obviously other approaches to pest management, and they don't have to cost more.

They can cost less. 

It may not be easier, but if it's better for all of us, then it's better.

Green Circle Growers is one of the largest nurseries in the midwest, growing flowers year around under 100 acres of glass - the equivalent of 100 football fields.  If they can do it, anyone can.

Did this post change your opinion?  If so, why?  If not, why?

Are you more or less apt to use chemicals after reading this post?

We'd love to hear your comments.