A Hunger Strike For Bees

A Plea To ALL Beekeepers in America & Around The Globe:

An Italian couple is protesting the use of Neonicotinoids by going on a hunger strike. They have been living in their van outside the Italian Ministry of Agriculture since July 4th and have vowed ONLY to eat and drink what a bee does…3 spoonfuls of honey a day plus a little bit of juice.

They are taking a stand in hopes that their actions will raise awareness in the beekeeping community, which will catch the interest of government officials to ban the use of neonicotinoids. What it all boils down to is once the bees are gone, we will ALL be going on a permanent hunger strike. Considering the rapidly increasing world population, we cannot afford to lose our most valuable pollinators- honeybees!

Worker bees fill the Honey Pots -photo by Graham White

ENOUGH POISON  (Basta Veleni)

To date more than 50 different products based on neonicotinoids were entered in the register of the Ministry of Health (many are even allowed to “IPM”) for use on the main fruit and vegetable crops (tomato, eggplant, peppers, cucumber, squash, melon, watermelon, cabbage inflorescence, leaf, head, kohlrabi, thistle, parsley, basil, rosemary, chervil, chives, lettuces and other salads, bean, beans, peas, leek, onion, artichoke, strawberry , potato, wheat, barley, alfalfa, tobacco, olive, apple, pear, peach, plum, cherry, almond, apricot, orange, tangerine, mandarin, lemon, grapefruit, grapes) for floriculture and other uses side ( moth, fly, flea), and not worry about their serious toxicity even at sublethal doses on insects such as bees. A very serious as major scientific studies have already tested the toxicity levels in both acute and chronic low doses. 

Worker with Full Pollen Baskets, Photo by Graham White

For the record bees crucial contribution to the pollination of over 225,000 plant species, 70% of those of interest agriculture, 90% of fruit, vegetables, etc..The loss of bees is not only directly affects the interests of beekeepers, but the signal of alarm for the consequences unimaginable environmental damage, as well illustrates the Dutch toxicologist Dr. Henk Tennekes in his latest work “The systemic insecticides: A disaster in the making“ (The systemic insecticides: a disaster in preparation). In our small the consequences are huge for our company: we produce Apitherapy products, royal jelly, queen embryos, pandapi, pollen, comb honey and analysis conducted (ASL and a private laboratory) we have proof that the loss of bee population and loss of self-defense capabilities of the remaining bees, are caused by the neonicotinoids. Add to this the discovery of the contamination of some products of the hive with these insecticides. This is unacceptable for us, do not feel to hide the problem and remain silent in the face of evidence. If you do not change the rules of use of these insecticides soon we will have to quit the company with the loss of certain of our assets as collateral for the loan are no longer honored because of falling revenue. and close with a portfolio of orders that would allow us to meet every commitment and also creating job opportunities . 

Organic farmers Marisa Valente and Renato Bologna are on a hunger strike to ban use of neonicotinoids.

For this reason we decided to expose ourselves and personal activities, including supporting the work of Francesco Panella, president of the Italian National Beekeepers Association (UNAAPI), which for years has been fighting for the same problem, at regional, national and European . and then begin a hunger strike July 4, 2011, with a garrison to the bitter end in Turin, in front of the Regione Piemonte C.so United States, as long as the authorities do not subscribe serious guarantees to withdraw from the market in question insecticides.

If you would like to take action, please visit their site Enough Poison by clicking this link.

and also join their rapidly growing group on Facebook BASTA VELENI – Stop ai neonicotinoidi killer delle api

Here is the podcast for the live interview: