“Chemical Companies Are Killing Everything:” Man Packs Truck Full of 2.5 Million Dead Honey Bees for Cross Country Tour

Preface by Cathy Geibel TLB, writer/reporter

There is nothing more frustrating than hearing gloom and doom and feeling powerless to stop it.  This man has taken matters into his own hands and is starting a movement.  Below is a link to the “Keep the Hive Alive” tour.  Though his tour is over we can continue to support efforts like this.  These grassroots efforts are what it is going to take to educate and engage people on local levels.  Buying more organic, bee friendly products is one simple thing that anyone can do.  And we all have discovered, money does talk.  On a personal note, I am becoming more and more bee aware as I post these articles. It’s amazing finding out how much I didn’t know and how much I can make a difference by activities such as bee friendly planting and simply spreading the word.  It’s going to take us all relentlessly spreading the message that we demand safe, healthy and chemical free foods. (CG)

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By Nick Meyer

While politicians and lawmakers continue to put forth the image that they’re working to save the bees, the facts on the ground remain the same: America’s pollinators are dying at an alarming rate.

bee truck 2

This June 13, 2016 photo provided by Friends of the Earth shows a truck that is carrying more than 2.5 million dead bees in Estelle, S.D. The truck began a tour across the country with a stop in South Dakota. (Tiffany Finck-Haynes/Friends of the Earth via AP)

According to a recent report from the USDA, American beekeepers lost a shocking 44% of their colonies from April 2015-2016, a stark decline that the Friends of the Earth organization called “too high to be sustainable for the U.S. agriculture and beekeeping industry.”

Now, a young beekeeper from one of America’s top farming states is traveling the country with millions of dead bees in hopes of waking up more people to the plight of the honey bee.

It’s Definitely Not Just One Thing”

At age 30, Minnesota beekeeper James Cook is a bit young for his profession. But in this case it’s also an advantage as he’s able to keep his finger to the pulse of the industry nationwide while seeing its struggles first-hand, including witnessing a massive bee die-off in 2013.

“I’m only 30, and I’m looking at trying to do this as my livelihood for the rest of my life,” Cook said to theAssociated Press. “I want to be part of the next generation of beekeepers, but if I don’t start talking about it and fostering discussions about it, I feel like nothing is really going to change.”

Cook is touring the country from his home base in Barrett, MN for his ‘Keep Hives Alive’ tour, which kicked off this month. It all began when loaded up his silver Dodge Ram pickup truck with the remains of 2.5 million bees, traveling the country in hopes of spreading awareness about what’s really happening at apiaries, orchards and farms everywhere.

bee farmer

“The chemical companies are killing everything,” said PA farmer and beekeeper Dave Hackenberg.

 

Stops were planned for South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and North Carolina according to the tour’s Facebook page throughout the month of June, with more locations expected (see the end of this article for more info on how you can support the tour).

While multiple causes have been suspected as the cause of colony collapse disorder in the United States, many activists, farmers and beekeepers on the ground believe that toxic pesticides such as neonics (bee-killing seed coatings), glyphosate sprayed en masse on GE and other crops, and other agricultural chemicals are the biggest cause that is being ignored.

“Chemical companies killing everything. This is about having a voice & demanding change.” said Lewisburg, PA beekeeper Dave Hackenberg of Hackenberg Apiaries.

On the Pennsylvania stop, farmers and beekeepers discussed the importance of switching to organic and sustainable farming.

“My chemical guy isn’t happy with me because my bill isn’t as high.” said Pennsylvania farmer Luke Criswell about his own farm’s changes, according to the Keep Hives Alive Twitter account.

New Report Blames Monsanto, Others for Bee Die-Off

The tour has kicked off right in the middle of a new report release by Friends of the Earth that implicates Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer and others in deliberate attempts to mislead the EPA and other government bodies about the true cause of the shocking bee declines.

The bombshell report alleges that they have distorted and twisted science in their favor by lobbying and creating a “revolving door” in key federal regulatory industries. It can be viewed by clicking here.

Critics of the report have pointed out that honeybee colonies in total are up about 10 percent over the past decadein total. But May survey results showed a 28 rate of bee colony losses, 11 percent higher than the industry says is acceptable according to the AP.

Considering the allegations in the FOE report above about corporate influence on science, along with the countless stories of beekeepers like Cook, it’s clear that the debate is far from over, however.

In the meantime, Cook continues his tour, hoping to spread the truth about what he and many others feel is the biggest cause of the alarming bee decline. He’s hoping to raise money to help complete the tour through an IndieGogo campaign that you can support by clicking here.

James Frazier, Professor Emeritus of Entomology at Penn State University, offered his own advice on what people can do to save the bees at a recent tour stop.

“Buy organic. Make choice w/your dollar. Vote for change. It is the right answer to ‘Keep the Hives Alive.’”

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Other posts by Nick Meyer

Original article 

TLB recommends other informative articles at AltHealthWorks

3 Comments on “Chemical Companies Are Killing Everything:” Man Packs Truck Full of 2.5 Million Dead Honey Bees for Cross Country Tour

  1. I forgot to mention GMO grown food. This food is pest resistant, the poison is in the food so pest and bee’s trying to partake or pollinate probably will die…

  2. It’s most likely all these chem trails that are being sprayed continually. Chem trails that are meant to pollute the environment and cause the people health problems. The government is ignoring or are to ignorant to realize what is going on. I would think that is very likely the cause of the diminishing bee’s population. This will effect everyone when there are none left to pollinate…

  3. grow organic! too, so easy, dotalicious earth keeps squash, beans, peas free of pests, beautiful flowers attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Also remember not to vaccinate!

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