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Earth Focus
Killing Bees: Are Government & Industry Responsible?
Honey bees, the essential pollinators of many major U.S. crops, have been dying off in massive numbers since 2006. This threatens the American agricultural system and the one in 12 jobs that depends on it. There is growing evidence that a new class of pesticides -- nerve toxins called neonicotinoids, which are used on many U.S. crops like corn -- may be toxic to bees.
The Environmental Protection Agency allowed neonicotinoids on the market without adequate tests to determine their toxicity to bees. Environmentalists want neonicotinoids banned until safety tests can be conducted. While the U.S. government is slow to act and neonicotinoid sales reap billions for the chemical industry, bees continue to die.
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