I explained that the bans are not new but part of ongoing efforts by environmentalists who misattribute honeybee declines to neonicotinoids ("neonics"), despite evidence that infestation by Varroa destructor mites are the real threat. Neonics, which are related to nicotine, are used as seed coatings, and are safe and effective. The bans in New York and potentially Vermont would harm local agriculture, particularly affecting corn, soybeans, and Vermont's dairy industry (whose cows consume a large percentage of corn grown in the state). Lars pointed out the extensive use of these crops in Vermont and questioned the rationale behind opposing such a natural pesticide. I noted the influence of the organic food lobby and their unscientific stance. We agreed that these policies could lead to increased food costs and dependency on foreign producers.
You can find the entire conversation here
You can find more on the topic in my recent article published in the Washington examiner here
You can find my series of articles following the consequences of neonicotinoids bans from 2014 to the present :
Dr. Henry Miller calls for American farmers to wake up
Regulators should embrace the Vatican's decade-old endorsement of GMOs
Dishonest Policymaking Stings The European Commission On Honeybee Health
We Don't Need to Ban Pesticides to Save Bees
What's missing from claims that neonicotinoids are killing bees, birds and fish?
How proposed legislation billed to 'save the bees' will actually harm them — and the economy
The Birds and Bees Protection Act Would Bring Costly 'Derogation Drama' to New York
Henry I. Miller, MS, MD
Henry I. Miller, MS, MD, is the Glenn Swogger Distinguished Fellow at the American Council on Science and Health. His research focuses on public policy toward science, technology, and medicine, encompassing a number of areas, including pharmaceutical development, genetic engineering, models for regulatory reform, precision medicine, and the emergence of new viral diseases. Dr. Miller served for fifteen years at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a number of posts, including as the founding director of the Office of Biotechnology.
