23 Jun 2011

Industry body rejects claim about pesticide killing bees

3:14 pm on 23 June 2011

The body that represents manufacturers and distributors of crop protection and animal health products rejects a Green Party claim that neonicotinoid pesticides are linked to large numbers of bee deaths overseas.

The party will present a nationwide petition to Parliament next month, calling for the suspension of the pesticides until the Environmental Risk Management Agency re-assesses them.

The New Zealand Association for Animal Health and Crop Protection (Agcarm) has more than 30 members.

Its chief executive, Graham Peters, says the party has every right to ask for a re-assessment, but need to get its facts right.

Mr Peters says all the suspensions in Contintental Europe have been lifted for neonicotinoids except for their use on maize.