Bee Alert from Phil Chandler

by Phil Chandler

OPEN LETTER TO THE BRITISH BEE KEEPERS ASSOCIATION

Since 2001, the British Bee Keepers Association has been receiving in the region of £17,500 per annum from pesticide manufacturers Bayer, Syngenta, BASF and Belchim in return for the BBKA's endorsement of several insecticides as 'bee-friendly'.

The BBKA policy of accepting money from such corporations, taken without consulting the membership, has been condemned by many of its members, other European bee keeping associations and some NGOs as unethical.

While the Executive seem now to have changed their mind again and have dropped the direct endorsement of pesticides, there are still some very important questions that need to be answered.

And - importantly - they have not ruled out accepting money from the pesticide manufacturers under other pretexts.

We call on the BBKA to sever all financial ties to manufacturers, sellers and promoters of any substance known to be or likely to be toxic to bees or other insects.

READ THE FULL TEXT HERE - http://www.britishbeekeeping.com

SUPPORTERS INCLUDE:

* Dr David Bellamy OBE
* Dr Karim Vahed, Entomologist & Reader in Behavioural Ecology, University of
Derby
* Dr. Andreas Daugsch, PhD, Post-Doc researcher at Unicamp University, Brazil
* L. R. B. Mann M.Sc Ph.D applied ecology consultant, beekeeper of 21 y
Whangaparaoa, New Zealand
* Dr David Heaf, Science Group of the Anthroposophical Society of Great Britain
* Dr Henk Tennekes, toxicologist, Netherlands
* Manfred Hederer, President, German Professional Beekeepers Association
* John Salt, ex-President, Moray Beekeepers Association
* Michael Young MBE
* Michael Weiler, Dipl.Ing.agr and beekeeper, Advisor for Biodynamic Beekeeping
* Thomas Radetski, Association for the Development of Ecological Apiculture,
Germany
* James Fearnley, author and researcher
* The Trustees of the Natural Beekeeping Trust
* Sky McCain, Wholesome Food Association
* Nick Delaney, Somerset beekeeper
* Patrick Moulesdale, Somerset Beekeeper
* Alys Fowler
* Chris Packham
* Michael Joshin Thiele, GaiaBees
* A.E. McArthur, MIL, Emeritus editor of Scottish Beekeeper magazine 1995 - 2005
* Kate Canning FRSA, member Twickenham & Thames Valley BKA
* Tom Petherick
* Alan Beat
* Nicholas Evans, author
* Brigit Strawbridge
* Biodynamic Association
* Günter Friedmann, professional Master Beekeeper, Leader of the German group of
Demeter-certified Beekeepers
* Nick Mole, Pesticide Action Network UK
* Rebecca Hosking MSc, MBE, farmer
* Tim Waygood, farmer
* Maddy Harland, editorial director, Permaculture Magazine
* Teresa van Dijk, research scientist, Netherlands
* Emma Hockridge, Head of Policy, Soil Association
* Lord Peter Melchett, Soil Association
* Amanda Williams buzzaboutbees.net @helpthebees
* Chris Baines, independent environmentalist and champion of wildlife gardening
* Graham White, environmental campaigner, writer, beekeeper
* Pete Riley, GM Freeze

READ THE FULL TEXT HERE - http://www.britishbeekeeping.com - and add your comments!

IF YOU ARE A BBKA MEMBER - ask your delegate to support the Twickenham motion at the ADM on January 15th. See http://www.britishbeekeeping.com/docs/TwickenhamCanning.pdf
for details.And look out for the story in The Independent!

Please distribute this message to all beekeeping friends.

Phil Chandler
www.naturalbeekeeping.org

..................................................

Thank you very Much for this information Phil which is what we have all been waiting to hear. Let's hope this starts the ball rolling around the world and others will follow this lead.
Janette