100,000 beekeeper petition drive

[BjornBee]

As part of the National Honey Bee Day program, we have started a petition drive in support of the honey bee and beekeepers all across the country.

Details can be found, as well as a downloadable petition form at www.nationalhoneybeeday.org

We ask that you consider printing out a petition form and also taking one to your local bee association.

The petition drive will continue all summer with the climax ending with the National Honey Bee Day program in Late August. We have plans to hand deliver the petition forms to Washington and hopefully meet with key officials to hear our concerns.

So please spread the word. Together we can make changes. 

Thank you.

[AllenF]

I could not find what we are asking Washington to change with the petition.

[David McLeod]

I couldn't either. For what it's worth after reading that site I think a round of kumbaya and some smores should suffice in place of a petition drive.

[BjornBee]

We have no plans to call the EPA liars and bastards. We have no plans of calling government officials crooks. We have no plans of "demanding" anything. This is not about being radical and demanding anything. it's about calling attention and keeping whatever small presence there is for beekeepers.

What we want to do, is continue the focus on the bee losses by having beekeepers and associations connect and spread the word of the beekeeping problems with a summer long petition drive. Which happens to a great way to connect with the public and bring attention to some of the problems in the industry.

Then later this summer, set up a meeting with whoever and anybody willing to listen to our concerns and problems. We want to let officials know that the bee problems continue and will not be brushed under the rug or forgotten over time.

Are all the details worked out? No. Will there be a small contingent of folks traveling to Washington, or a larger group willing to meet on the steps of the Capitol? I don't know.

But unlike some, I'm willing to do the work, pull the money out of my pocket, and do something. If you thinks it's crap or funny....please carry on in your own life.

Thank you for the positive comments.  ;)

[T Beek]

Thanks BjornBee, numbers 'really' do make a difference.

thomas

[Tommyt]

Here is the petition
BjornBee  if you want me to remove it say so and its gone

Tommyt

National Honey Bee Day
“Help the Honey Bee” Petition Drive

We the undersigned, request acknowledgement to the problems and plight that honey bees have endured. Recent massive honey bee colony deaths, at levels not seen previously in history, are signs that something is wrong in the environment. Native pollinators, bats, frogs, butterflies, and the honey bee in particular are being killed off due to a host of agriculture practices. The increased use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, and new classes of approved chemicals are contributing to the loss of honey bees. Without honey bees for pollination our food crops are in peril. And we seek support and change to allow honey bees to thrive.



Name                                  Signature                     Location (town & state)

[T Beek]

Guess I'd add "beekeepers" to we the undersigned.  otherwize, good enough.

thomas

[BjornBee]

Thank you tommyt and T Beek.

The petition is not limited too beekeepers. While I think the main thrust will be by beekeepers, we want everyone concerned about the bees plights, nature loving folks, etc., to get involved and support this effort. It's just easier to address this, and promote it, as part of the beekeeping programs we already have built. But we hope to partner with and have other concerned groups lend their support. Where this goes and how it ends up, is yet to be determined.

4 years into CCD and yet not one item of change can be seen. I think we as beekeepers have stood back and figured some higher level beekeepers or academia types would get this all worked out. And that has not happened. And this may not amount to major change either. But I think we can make "baby steps" and this is one way that each and every beekeeper can make a small contribution towards a larger concept and program.

[backyard warrior]

Hi Mike hope you are doing well been awhile. Anyway im all game for this petition we need answers not suggestions we need to get back to keeping bees instead of trying to figure out how to keep them alive.  Its time for uncle sam to spend some money and get to the bottom of this dilemma.  Im guessing you lost some hives this winter along with the rest of us and are fed up with the issues.   Chris

[T Beek]

Its Uncle Sams (that's us) Big AG Lobby (that's them) who needs to be convinced into spending "Less" on defending their profit driven products/poisons and I really think they already know what's going on or at least what's "contributing" to bee losses.  Profit doesn't care who looses.

thomas

[BjornBee]

thomas,
I agree.

You may find the article I posted in the Beekeeper ramblings thread of particular interest.  ;)

I think the road for agriculture in the future is paved without a bee in sight.

[T Beek]

Thanks BjornBee, Your exactly right, I believe its why so little is "really" being done.  Those in power have faith (brainwashed with money) that BIG AG will still be able to feed the world, rrriiight.  There has been a movement for quite some time to gain ever more control over all aspects of food production and more importantly for those doing the "real" starving, food distribution, which they've already won.  People will do anything when they're starving and thirsty.  And some are salivating at the thought (same folks that can't wait to grow oranges at the North Pole, no doubt).

Seeds, specifically (ooops) HYBRED seeds are totally under control of BIG AG, they own most of the pattens.  They do what they will to promote their seed while doing their best to limit plantings of "heirloom" varieties, particularly in poor countries, not that the US is left off the (meat?) hook.  

As soon as they've perfected the methods of producing seeds that require no pollination, they will have screwed us all and all seeds/food will come from them and who needs bees then?.  I'm paraphrasing, but that is a stated mission.

Spread the word,  Save bees by saving seeds (and refusing to buy theirs).

thomas

[Cascadebee]

I don't get it.  Ag is more chemical intensive because we have evolved into industrial agriculture. The demand for chemicals is there and isn't going to go away with 7 billion people on the planet. The chemical companies simply serve that demand.  They have moved away from synthetic organic compounds in response to EPA regulations, which is a good thing for bees overall. In my industry (tree fruit), systems are MUCH more integrated than in the past. Pest management programs include bio-pesticides such as viruses and nematodes as well as pheromone mating disruption. That's good for pollinators.

Thanks to GM crops, pesticide use is actually declining significantly in Corn, Soy, and Cotton. Those crops alone account for the majority of ag lands in the USA.

The argument on the petition that pesticide use is increasing is not scientifically defensible.

Furthermore, I think there have been a number of important breakthroughs from the "academia types" on CCD.  It is a complicated and relatively recent problem. It is unrealistic to expect too much too fast.  And I think there would be more breakthroughs with more funding for the research. Unfortunately, science funding has been under attack since the 1960's. Literally there are only a handful of scientists that can investigate CCD full time. IMO a petition should lobby for something specific, like more funding for the science, or better regulations to protect the beekeeping/honey industry. Otherwise I don't see the point.

While I don't agree with a lot of the big ag practices and personally would rather support family farms and organic farming, lets be realistic. Big ag is not going anywhere.

Thus, we need factually sound arguments to protect the beekeeping industry.



 

[Acebird]

Thanks to GM crops, pesticide use is actually declining significantly in Corn, Soy, and Cotton. Those crops alone account for the majority of ag lands in the USA.

Right on there.  Pretty soon those chemical companies will be out of business and we won't be importing any more of that foreign oil.  Hey, could I have a puff of that stuff you are smoking? :-D

[Cascadebee]

Do your research and check the facts bro. You'll find I'm right. Quick ref attached.

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/292/5517/637.2.full

You can't fight big ag with idealism or emotion.

[deknow]

Hi Mike,

There are a few things to consider here:

1.  If you don't know what you want done, how are elected representatives to be expected to do something productive?

2.  Being specific has it's own problems.  Do we want more $$ spent on research?  In theory, I would say yes, but in practice, there is research that we've already paid for that we don't have access to.  For instance:
http://beeuntoothers.com/JPInterview.pdf
...is an excerpt from transcript of a film that is being shown in Europe.  Two of the top U.S. bee researchers are talking about studies that have been complete for 2 years showing 4X the nosema infection rate in bees with undetectable levels of imidacloprid.  They use it for publicity, but it has not been published, and Jeff declined to give Randy Oliver a copy to read.  Either the study is good and should be published (and more importantly, the information should be available to beekeepers, farmers, legislators, etc), or it is poorly done and should not be published (and the researchers should not be making the claims they make).
Do we want to give them more funding?

I'm not at all criticizing what you are trying to do, but any PR campaign _has_ to have a take home message, an action item...otherwise, the NHB will use the support you are building to support their own agenda.

deknow

[DCHoneybees]

Mike,

Thank you for spearheading this weighty task.  As my handle suggests, I live in DC and will be happy to help on the ground here ahead of your plans to set up meetings.

Best,
Jeff Miller

[BjornBee]

Mike,

Thank you for spearheading this weighty task.  As my handle suggests, I live in DC and will be happy to help on the ground here ahead of your plans to set up meetings.

Best,
Jeff Miller

Thank you Jeff.

I hope you use the petition drive in any way you can to reach out and connect with the community. I hope it provides the opportunity to make a change, even if they are one baby step at a time. I see no national effort, campaign, or concerted effort in doing much other than raising funds for research. I am humbled when those I have never met, can see the bigger picture and get involved.

I wish the best in your efforts.

[BjornBee]

..otherwise, the NHB will use the support you are building to support their own agenda.

deknow

Are you talking about the National Honey Bee Day program? Or the National Honey Board?

[Kathyp]

wouldn't it be more effective to concentrate efforts on education than on a petition with inaccurate and non-specific info...and to what end?  what do you want the govt to do?