Radio 4. Costing the Earth. 15.30 07.05.'13 " Bees fight back"

[Russel]

Hi Me again with Radio 4 stuff,
BTW Book of the week " A sting in the tale' episode 1 & 2 on iplayer.

"Much heat has been generated about about modern pesticides called neonicotinoids.
Their supporters - the companies which make them, the farmers who use them and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - say they are vital to protect crops and boost yields in a hungry world. They say jobs would be threatened in a big way if they were outlawed and that there is no scientific proof that they are harming pollinating insects which are also vital to agriculture.

On the other side of the debate are environment campaigners, scientists, the European Food Safety Authority, the European Commission and a House of Commons select committee. They say there is so much evidence that neonicotinoids kill bees and other useful insects that their use in farms and gardens cannot be justified. Beekeepers are divided, some fearing that the alternative chemicals would cause even more damage, some saying that the other threats to bees - disease and loss of habitat - are far more serious. Some even challenge the whole notion that bees are suffering a serious decline.

For Costing the Earth, Tom Heap goes into the fields and hedgerows of England - and into the laboratory of the country's only Professor of Apiculture - to sort spin from science and facts from campaign catchphrases. He also hears from scientists and experts on the global health of pollinating insects and the crops that depend on them."

 

[theeggman]

For Costing the Earth, Tom Heap goes into the fields and hedgerows of England - and into the laboratory of the country's only Professor of Apiculture - to sort spin from science and facts from campaign catchphrases. He also hears from scientists and experts on the global health of pollinating insects and the crops that depend on them."[/QUOTE]

I heard the programme and it is well worth a listen, no pushing of either view but clear facts about the issue.

Tim

 

[Russel]

Was that our very own Chris B contributing too?

 

[theeggman]

Sorry folks, brain fade.
The programme I heard was Material World on the 2nd. which is still worth a listen though.

Tim

 

[Chris B]

Was that our very own Chris B contributing too?

Yes I did. Recorded 2 weeks ago when the rape was only a couple of scrawny inches high, but today it's in flower and looking almost normal.
I still don't understand why both Ratnieks and Potts want to talk about honeybees being in decline. Or maybe I do.

 

[alanf]

I still don't understand why both Ratnieks and Potts want to talk about honeybees being in decline. Or maybe I do.

Good contribution, I thought. About the best radio queen catching demo I've heard. Good point on air about the decline number claims; anyone academically employed these days spends much of their efforts on the next lot of funding.

There's obviously a lot of interest in bees among the BBC producers. Tom Heap did the Countryfile TV report a while back that threw around sensational stats without explanation. A welcome follow up, even if a much smaller audience.

 

[Russel]

Good contribution, I thought. About the best radio queen catching demo I've heard. Good point on air about the decline number claims; anyone academically employed these days spends much of their efforts on the next lot of funding.

There's obviously a lot of interest in bees among the BBC producers. Tom Heap did the Countryfile TV report a while back that threw around sensational stats without explanation. A welcome follow up, even if a much smaller audience.

"Saving the Bees" seems to be everyone and there aunties hobbyhorse at the moment. Co op giving away free seeds, FoE are doing the London Tube and loads of events around the country just a shame they forget to involve the local BKA's.

Although we weren't made aware or invited to attend, Cathbee managed to blag us some last minute space at Newport FoE's Bee Fair this Saturday.
Real pity there's so much disjointed energy spent on bee welfare, now if this could all be coordinated maybe collectively we'd get something achieved,
or is it just another way to get money in the coffers for a "good cause"?

 

[itma]

"Saving the Bees" seems to be everyone and there aunties hobbyhorse at the moment. ... loads of events around the country just a shame they forget to involve the local BKA's.

...
Real pity there's so much disjointed energy spent on bee welfare, now if this could all be coordinated maybe collectively we'd get something achieved,
...

Has the possibility occurred to you that the reason that the BKAs are not being invited might have just something to do with the public stance of the BBKA's trustees?

 

[Chris B]

Has the possibility occurred to you that the reason that the BKAs are not being invited might have just something to do with the public stance of the BBKA's trustees?

In other words, you think the BBKA is accurately representing the majority view of it's members?

 

[itma]

In other words, you think the BBKA is accurately representing the majority view of it's members?

No.

But unfortunately they do tend to give the public the wholly false impression that they have a democratic mandate for what are in reality the personal opinions of the Trustees.

 

[Haughton Honey]

No.

But unfortunately they do tend to give the public the wholly false impression that they have a democratic mandate for what are in reality the personal opinions of the Trustees.

Which is why I will have next to nothing to do with them.

 

[PBee]

...... Good point on air about the decline number claims; ......

If decline or otherwise had any relevance in the context of a managed agricultural species traded nationally and internationally. Recent patterns of extraordinary mortality and and the significance for wild fauna would possibly be more pertinent.