More 'bees are dying' news from Haagen Dazs

[squisher]

What does anyone here think about the effect that genetically engineered crops might be playing in this?

Scruples?............What's your price? Where do you draw the fine line?

 

[stehansen]

I hadn't thought of that Squisher. As far as I know the only engineered crop in widespread use is corn.

 

[TC3]

I grew up in the thumb of Michigan. I grew up in a time of transition. The earth was absolutely DUST from chemicals. Farmers were so afraid to go back to organics because of the time it would take to get there. But they knew in their hearts it was right & real. Not being able to provide for your family can be a terrifying motivator.

 

[squisher]

Food for thought

http://www.sierraclub.org/biotech/whatsnew/whatsnew_2007-03-21.asp

 

[Cobleskill]

Canola , cotton, and alfalfa, as well as corn. Guess who the big player is. Monsanto.

 

[TC3]

A quote from the article :
Highly respected scientists believe that exposure to genetically engineered crops and their plant-produced pesticides merit serious consideration as either the cause or a contributory factor to the development and spread of CCD.

Note the word I highlighted.

 

[Cobleskill]

Not all gmo's produce pesticides. The only one I know of is corn. It kills cornborer by procucing its own pesticide. There are corn , soybeans, and alfalfa that are immune to round-up so you wait untill the weeds are up and spray round-up right over crop and weeds. There was a court case over the alfalfa and monsato lost. When the seed is gone they are not supposed to produce any more.

 

[stehansen]

I listened to this MP3 on a website that was a entemologist from the University of Illinois talking about colony collapse. She said although she isn't ruling anything out she didn't think it was GMOs because the problem is just as severe in Europe as it is in the US and there are virtually no GMOs in use in Europe.

 

[squisher]

As I said I was just bringing it up as food for thought. I would agree with the article in that every avenue should be explored here as agressively as possible to try and source the problem.

 

[Cobleskill]

60 Minutes just had a piece on about bees. David Hackenberg from Lewistown Pa. was the beekeeper who broke the news about their decline. They still have no real defenite answers. A virus is present in the sick hives but it's unclear if it is cause or syptom. David said it doesn't look good again this year so far for his bees. Has already lost 50% and winter is far from over.

 

[TC3]

Thank gawd Rum Raisin isn't affected ?

 

[Paul B]

rum raisin? heya, how do ya think them grapes get pollinated! and without bees, would the sugar cane get rocked out to be useful? I dunno that much about sugar cane to be honest, it might not need bees...

 

[rumination]

Sugar cane doesn't need bees. It's propagated from cuttings.

 

[MasterBlaster]

You can tell Paul was never a 4-H'er!

 

[rumination]

Ha! I don't think they see much sugarcane in Canada.

 

[squisher]

If it's not used in beer or hockey we're not going to know much about it.

 

[Chisel Tooth]

If it's not used in beer or hockey we're not going to know much about it.

Now that there is funny!