Write to Damien O'connor and tell him to ban Roundup.It has been done in Europe so we in "clean, green" N.Z. can do it.
And use what instead? Something worse, but ok because it's not currently tested for?Write to Damien O'connor and tell him to ban Roundup.It has been done in Europe so we in "clean, green" N.Z. can do it.
a lot of that is done for political reasons rather than based on science.ban Roundup.It has been done in Europe
There are plenty more herbicides in the weed control tool box depending on the situation but unfortunately they are often more toxic to bees such as paraquat (non selective used in similar cereal cropping situations to glyphosate) and 24D, selective for broard leaf weeds. Pity Japan seems to be following Europe in ruling by public perception rather than science. Cereal croppers reliance on round-up is perhaps not ideal but is lesser of the evils and better for the soil and co2 emissions than old-school plough and plough again. Way more complex than just saying ban it there are allways unintended concequences. A bit hesitant sticking my head over the parapet in this controversial matter but being a farmer and bee keeper I have a fair bit of skin in the game.Until there’s a decent alternative we are stuck with it.
It’s a real battle trying to avoid the stuff with back country farms down here seeing huge pasture improvement year on year.. glyphosate is a massive tool in the box.
Cereal crops down south were not that long ago sprayed with it to kill the plant pre harvest.. now it’s tested for they are using another brew to get the job done..
???Reality is that while Germany has theoretically banned the use of glyphosate, Bayer has bought Monsanto so they can continue to manufacture it in the USA.
Monsanto secretly funded academic studies indicating “very severe impacts” on farming and the environment if its controversial glyphosate weedkiller were banned, an investigation has found.Reality is that while Germany has theoretically banned the use of glyphosate, Bayer has bought Monsanto so they can continue to manufacture it in the USA.
Totally agree, the battle is real when trying to avoid it contaminating the food product I produce as each December around honey harvest time the cocky wants the chopper in the air as he begins to turn another block on the station into lush pasture.. he has a farm to run, stock to fatten, improvements to make and the last thing on his mind is the millions of little pollinators at work in the chain.Cereal croppers reliance on round-up is perhaps not ideal but is lesser of the evils and better for the soil and co2 emissions than old-school plough and plough again.
and the surfactant they use kills off your beescocky wants the chopper in the air as he begins to turn another block on the station into lush pasture..
Hi DonIn Europe there is much more information on how much of each agrichemical is used and on what crop it is used. The Netherlands has even more detailed information. In NZ we have none of that data collection. For the EPA reassessment of neonicotinoids the EPA had to ask the Ag Chem industry to provide information on the amount used and what crops it is used on - we are waiting for the EPA to make this public.
I am surprised no one is offering their glyphosate lab test data results to date. If we have access to this data in a sufficient sample size we can use our bees foraging efforts to survey glyphosate use throughout the country. This would be helpful in discussions with MPI.
Many thanks Dennis, that is the start of the info that we should be gathering.Hi Don
Had all my last year honey and some older honey from a last couple of years tested, a mix of areas from Taupo to Taranaki, all from hives that went into Kiwifruit pollination. 10 tests all tested <0.010 mg/kg for all Glyphosate, Glufosinate and Aminomethyl phosphonic acid.
i asked about this today.Many thanks Dennis, that is the start of the info that we should be gathering.
Like to compare with results from say Hawkes Bay, Canterbury where extensive cropping is practiced.