The U.K. government has lifted a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides that was put in place by the EU after some suspect studies said neonics caused harm to bees. In other parts of the world, like Australia and Canada, where neonics are heavily used, there was no decline in bee colonies even in 2006, like there was in one part of Europe that set off the environmental craze, but Europeans were swayed by a well-organized publicity campaign (and even a conspiracy, as I showed in When It Comes To Neonics, Activists Understand PR Better Than Chemical Companies Do) and banned them.
But England, which set off the Frankenfood and vaccines cause autism crazes in the 1990s, has been trying to rehabilitate its science reputation since, so it is siding with the National Farmers Union and allowing two neonicotinoid pesticides to be used for 120 days on about 5% of England's oilseed rape crop.
Environmental and wildlife groups have called the decision "scandalous", because even though data are against them and bee colonies are booming, they dislike science more than they love feeding poor people affordably.
Ban lifted on controversial 'neonic' pesticide By Claire Marshal, BBC
