We may be seeing the beginning of support and awareness in the farm community.
American farmers are growing increasingly more frustrated with the lack of commercially available seeds that have not been pretreated with pesticides. Farmers across the Midwest have called on federal officials this week to provide greater access to seeds without pesticide treatments. The request comes as scientists and beekeepers highlight the nearly pervasive use of neonicotinoids as seed treatments on corn as a critical factor in recent bee die-offs, including colony collapse disorder (CCD).
What is referred to as “seed industry consolidation” in the article linked to above would, in my view, be more accurately described as “monopoly.”
