Soil Association slams government's pesticide decision

The Soil Association has condemned a decision made by Hilary Benn not to ban the use of a pesticide associated with the killing of bees.

Research conducted on neonecotinoids, which Slovenia, Germany, France and Italy have already banned, has indicated in the past that the immune and neurological systems of honey bees are damaged by the pesticide.

However, the UK secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs has rejected calls for the pesticide to be banned in Britain - a decision the Soil Association disapproves of.

Policy director of the association Peter Melchett stated: "While new funding and new research are welcome, it will not help if the Government ignores existing scientific evidence that has led other countries to ban chemicals known to kill bees."

A statement from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that there is no solid evidence as yet that neonecotinoids have contributed to the recent decline in bee numbers.

In January, the Soil Association wrote to Hilary Benn urging him not to oppose EU legislation aiming to decrease the use of pesticides in the UK agriculture industry.