Britain’s beekeepers are at war over their association’s endorsement for money of four insecticides, all of them fatal to bees, made by major chemical companies.
The British Beekeepers’ Association has been selling its logo to four European pesticide producers and is believed to have received about £175,000 in return.
The active ingredient chemicals in the four pesticides the beekeepers endorsed are synthetic pyrethroids, which are among the most powerful of modern insect-killers.
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The deal was struck in secret by the beekeepers’ association executive without the knowledge of the overwhelming majority of its members.
After news of the deal emerged, some members expressed outrage and others resigned.
The beekeepers have now said they will end their pesticide endorsements – but have left the door open to future deals with agrochemical companies.
The battling beekeepers will have a showdown this weekend at the National Beekeeping Centre at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire.
An open letter signed by prominent figures in the world of the environment and agriculture condemns the British Beekeepers’ Association for its commercial relationship with […]
