Monday March 12, 2007, 1:59 pm
The author, John McDonald, is a beekeeper in Pennsylvania. He welcomes comments or questions about the bee problem at: mcbee_77@yahoo.com

Monday March 12, 2007, 2:03 pm
It's not nice to fool mother nature! This perhaps is also the cause of the decreased numbers of butterflies.......when will we learn?

Monday March 12, 2007, 2:13 pm
All pollinating insects seem to be in danger!!!

Tuesday March 13, 2007, 9:43 am
I think John may be on to something. If not in the particular case of CCD then for certain he has spotted a lurking "time bomb" in the food chain. Our greed will get us all sooner or later. Man't multi-level impact on the environment is sure to result in catastrophe.

Tuesday March 13, 2007, 12:24 pm
This is the way that modern agribusiness operates- anything for better yields and more profits and don't worry about what the consequences may be.

Tuesday March 13, 2007, 1:56 pm
One more reason to buy organic.

Tuesday March 13, 2007, 5:25 pm
gmo's did kill butterflies but information seems to be suppressed!

Wednesday March 14, 2007, 1:52 am
down with Genetically modified products it's against the laws of nature, wrong, & all of the effects have not yet been discovered.

Wednesday March 14, 2007, 3:49 am
i am sure gm products kill the bees, i read a lot of reports about gm, because they want to use it now in europe, even the gm that is already forbidden in the us!!! animals hate that stuff and if they have a choice, will not touch it, but the poor farm animals don't have a choice, do they??? and i am sure that this gm has on long sight a very bad and very unhealthy effect on the humans who eat gm vegetables and meat of animals who were fed with this gm poison as well. the chemical- industrie sells this stuff, even as they know it is unhealthy and dangerous and i believe also, that gm food has a very unhealthy influence on the evolution of man, but this is exactly what the elite was looking for, for a very long time, the key to the evolution of life and i think the bees are just one of a lot of species that will vanish of this earth. the chemical industrie is making a war against life by manipulating it genes and our "leaders" help them as good as they can, don't they!!!

Wednesday March 14, 2007, 3:59 am
oh yes, ask the scientists of greenpeace about it, they can explain much better than i can, and will be able to answer all your question you have about gm products. here in germany there is something called shoppingnet from greenpeace, they publish the names of the supermarkets that sell vegetables with pestizids, what the german goverment is doing about gm products, what the european union decided about it, and they explain exactly everything what you want to know about gm products. so ask greenpeace, i am sure you have something like shopping net also in the us.

Wednesday March 14, 2007, 5:23 am
The more I know about Monsanto the more Ij hate what they do. It is a diabolical greed machine. Next they will be selling some type of self pollinating crop that lives exatly one yar and then you have to buy more seed from them and the world will become more dependent on them until the next severe drought.

Wednesday March 14, 2007, 12:36 pm
They should genetically modify bees to not sting people- now thats a good idea. lol- But seriously even though I dislike them there provide a pivotal role in nature and they should be protected.

Thursday March 15, 2007, 4:20 am
mike, that is what they did with wheat in all those starving third world countries, the countries owed money to the us, so they had to buy us products, weapons, wheat,etc. the third world countries grew rice or corn and lived on rice or corn, so the state made them to grow the wheat seeds from the us to get rid of that stuff. but the rice came every year, the wheat was just for one year, so the third world countries had to buy wheat- seeds again, made a bigger bill and the people starved then worse than ever, no rice, no corn, just wheat that grew for a year. this is a long time used pratice in foreign affairs by the us! you are quite right about monsanto and other industrial giants like them, there is no border for them in their greed to manipulate life and it doesn't matter what's the price. it is people like you and me and our children and the nature who will pay the price, not them.

Thursday March 15, 2007, 8:29 pm
I actually HOPE that is the case- because then, people would be forced to BAN the production of GMO foods.
As if anyone thought this was going to be a good thing in the first place??
It's obvious that it's a really bad idea to alter your own food. :(

Thursday March 15, 2007, 8:31 pm
I think genetic modified crops are sometimes modified for insect resistance. Bees are insects. Therefore the possibility is very high that the bees are being killed by the pollen they bring back to the hives.

When I first saw the "mystery" of the bees dying, I thought of gm crops too.

Friday March 16, 2007, 12:59 pm
"Wednesday March 14, 2007, 5:23 am
The more I know about Monsanto the more Ij hate what they do. It is a diabolical greed machine. Next they will be selling some type of self pollinating crop that lives exatly one yar and then you have to buy more seed from them and the world will become more dependent on them until the next severe drought."

actually monsanto has developed the "terminator" gene
meaning the crop will not self pollinate & no viable seed will be produced
& it is exactly for the reason that monsanto wants farmers dependent upon them for seed
& yes, they are a diabolical greed machine
i don't think they'll be happy until they own the dna of every living being
& yes, i think gmo's will contribute to a catostrophic collapse in agricultural systems
& when these systems do collapse...
guess who has a vault of all pre-gmo heirloom, open-pollinated, & hybridized varieties?
making domination of the global dinner table that much easier...
& if the bees dissappear... i'm sure monsanto will find a way to make money then too!

Friday March 16, 2007, 10:44 pm
Very good radio report on the bee crisis tonight on Coast To Coast radio: www.coasttocoastam.com/
Tonight beginning 10 PM Pacific / 1 AM Eastern - 2 Hours

-from the Coast To Coast website...
For her presentation tonight, Linda Moulton Howe (www.earthfiles.com/) has provided this map of the U.S. states affected by Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Some beekeepers have reported losing 50% to 90% of their honey bee colonies, and to date no single explanation has been found for the widespread die-off. A consortium of researchers and government officials called the CCD Working Group is currently working on the problem.

-from Linda Moulton Howe's website:
"How much of our food production do we want to turn over to other countries that might be friendly now and not friendly in the future? The federal government is looking at this and my question is: Are honey bees the canary in the coal mine? What are honey bees trying to tell us that we humans should be paying more attention to?"
- Jerry Hayes, Chief, Apiary Section, Florida Dept. of Agriculture, Gainsville, Florida

Honey Bee Disappearances Continue: Could Pesticides Play A Role? Pesticides, sprayed and genetically engineered - Are they linked to honey bee disappearances and decline of all pollinators in North America? Report upcoming (watch her website).

Friday March 16, 2007, 10:55 pm
This story will be available by tomorrow to hear online at Coast To Coast and at www.earthfiles.com/

Saturday March 17, 2007, 7:13 am
Top Owners (13F) of stock in Monsanto:

Institutions Shares Owned Change %O/S Turnover Style Investor Type

Fidelity Management & Research (US) 55,906,532 5,425,333 10.29% Mod GARP IA
Marsico Capital Management L.L.C. 39,150,260 23,217,872 7.2% Mod Core Growth IH
AllianceBernstein LP 19,509,136 -18,125,940 3.59% Mod Core Growth IH
PRIMECAP Management Company 18,259,486 61,682 3.36% Low GARP IA
State Street Global Advisors (U.S.) 17,177,309 -485,371 3.16% Low Index IA
Barclays Global Investors NA 14,455,657 59,469 2.66% Low Index IA
Vanguard Group Inc. 14,279,535 209,675 2.63% Low Index IA
Lord Abbett & Co. LLC 12,905,468 1,898,070 2.37% Mod Income Value IA
Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (US) 10,309,323 -694,819 1.9% High GARP IA
Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. 10,150,008 814,722 1.87% Mod Core Value IA
GE Asset Management Inc. 9,646,161 -1,355,008 1.77% Mod GARP IA
College Retirement Equities Fund 9,600,621 1,863,151 1.77% Low GARP PF
T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. 9,178,926 501,772 1.69% Low GARP IA
Capital Research & Management Co. 8,807,034 0 1.62% Low Core Value IA
Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company 8,510,111 2,715,053 1.57% High Core Growth IA
Janus Capital Management LLC 8,143,156 152,741 1.5% Mod Aggres. Gr. IH
OppenheimerFunds Inc. 8,034,918 36,437 1.48% Mod GARP IA
Goldman Sachs Asset Management (US) 7,641,896 -11,404,952 1.41% Mod Core Growth IA
MFS Investment Management 6,950,238 -170,794 1.28% Mod Core Growth IA
American Century Investment Mgmt. 6,161,535 -8,164,038 1.13% High Momentum IA


Note: IA = Investment Advisor; PF = Pension Fund; HF = Hedge Fund; BK = Bank & Trust.

Saturday March 17, 2007, 7:16 am
Institutions Shares Owned Change %O/S Turnover Style Investor Type

more clear heading for share owners would be:

Institutions - Shares Owned - Change - %O/S Turnover - Style - Investor Type

Saturday March 17, 2007, 7:19 am
Monsanto

Shareowners Owners $ Value (MM) % O / S Shares

Institution 697 24,459.75 88.87% 483,035,226
MutualFund 1,448 11,897.74 45.25% 245,910,652
Insider 38 125.9 0.45% 2,442,349

Saturday March 17, 2007, 7:44 am
Seminis is a part of Monsanto

"Seminis is dedicated to providing organic growers with as many choices as conventional growers. We believe that the best way we can serve the organic market is to develop vegetable and fruit varieties with "built-in" disease resistance. Such traits offer both organic and traditional growers the best defense against production-limiting pests. These hybrids are frequently more effective than chemicals controls and other pest-management tools."

Saturday March 17, 2007, 7:57 am
After having said ALL of the above the following is important:

Seminis makes and sells the seeds.

I think people need to do some research on Monsanto and their GM seeds before jumping to any conclusions. The main ingredient in the GM foods is Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. This has been found not to be toxic to bees.

However, I do thin k it is very important to find out what is killing the bees! The bees can be analyzed for toxins then we would know EXACTLY what is killing them. Then we can address the cause.




It is specific to misquitoes, flies, Corn Borer, tobacco budworm, cotton bollworm, fall armyworm, beet armyworm, pink bollworm, loopers and many more, reducing or eliminating your need to spray for worms.

Saturday March 17, 2007, 8:15 am
http://www.entm.purdue.edu/Entomology/ext/targets/e-series/EseriesPDF/E-53.pdf

this is a paper on toxins, pesticides and bees. I higly advise people to read the paper. It is farily short.

The list of highly toxic pesticides for bees is very long. I think it is more likely that some environmental pesticide is killing bees NOT Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis.

Saturday March 17, 2007, 9:42 am
Honey Bee Disappearances Continue: Could Pesticides Play A Role?
© 2007 by Linda Moulton Howe
http://www.earthfiles.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1223&category=Environment

Saturday March 17, 2007, 10:01 am
Kathy, with all due respect, people HAVE done research on Monsanto and GMO's, and I am proud to say I live in Mendocino County (Northern CA) where we have have done the homework (and have smart voters) and have banned to use of GMO plants and animals, as of March 2004...being the first locality in North America to pass a law to protect us from this diabolical technology. A lot of good and scientific information is available from two Mendocino County organizations, "Environmental Commons" and "Yes on Measure H" (GMO Free Mendo).
http://environmentalcommons.org/
http://www.gmofreemendo.com/

from GMO Free Mendo:
What are GMOs?

A GMO, a Genetically Modified Organism, is a man-made organism created in a laboratory and patented by a corporation or the USDA. GMOs are created by a process called genetic engineering.

How are GMOs different from traditional cross-breeding?

We've all heard of creating hybrids by crossing a broccoli and a cauliflower, or two varieties of roses, or two breeds of dogs.

But a GMO is completely different. It is created when a gene from a totally unrelated species is shot into the genetic material of another species.

Here are some examples of GMOs that have been grown in the U.S.:

* Rat and human genes in trout
* Spider genes in goats
* Human genes in corn or rice
* Mouse and human genes in potatoes
* Fish genes in tomatoes
* Cow or human genes in salmon

These combinations never occur in nature.

Scientists worldwide now admit that the rush to sell genetically engineered products has put people's health, property, and the environment at risk.

This is why 30 countries have banned, or propose to ban GMO crops, including Japan and many European countries. In the U.S., Gerber baby foods, Trader Joe's, even McDonalds and Burger King, are now refusing GMO corn, potatoes, and other ingredients.

-from Environmental Commons:
States Introduce Numerous Bills to Regulate Genetically Modified Foods
by Britt Bailey
http://environmentalcommons.org/gmo-regulation-2007.html
To stay up to date on GMO bills introduced in states across the United States, see Environmental Commons' "Food Democracy Tracker," environmentalcommons.org/tracker.html

"Environmental Commons brings democracy and science to environmental decision-making at the local, state and national levels. We encourage involvement in the democratic process to defend our environmental heritage - water, air, biodiversity, and genetic variability - known as 'the commons.' Conserving our commons is undeniably linked to the quality of our own lives - our health and the health of ecosystems.

Environmental Commons works to preserve our natural areas, protect wildlife and promote sustainable policies using education and informed discussion."

Saturday March 17, 2007, 10:10 am
Before Monsanto was ever allowed to introduce such diabolical technology into the environment, all levels of governemnt who had a hand in allowing this should have been subject to The Precautionary Principle.

The Precautionary Principle is a guiding framework for decision-making that anticipates how our actions will affect the environment and health of future generations. The Principle emphasizes public participation and stakeholder collaboration in long-term environmental health and ecological policies and programs.

Environmental Commons and the Mendocino Partnership for the Precautionary Principle are currently implementing the Precautionary Principle into Mendocino County, California decision-making.

Five Key Elements of the Precautionary Principle:
The Precautionary Principle represents a paradigm shift in decision-making. It allows for five key elements that can prevent irreversible damage to people and nature:

1. Anticipatory Action: There is a duty to take anticipatory action to prevent harm. Government, business, and community groups, as well as the general public, share this responsibility.

2. Right to Know: The community has a right to know complete and accurate information on potential human health and environmental impacts associated with the selection of products, services, operations, or plans. The burden to supply this information lies with the proponent, not with the general public.

3. Alternatives Assessment: An obligation exists to examine a full range of alternatives and select the alternative with the least potential impact on human health and the environment, including the alternative of doing nothing.

4. Full Cost Accounting: When evaluating potential alternatives, there is a duty to consider all the reasonably foreseeable costs, including raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, use, cleanup, eventual disposal, and health costs even if such costs are not reflected in the initial price. Short and long-term benefits and time thresholds should be considered when making decisions.

5. Participatory Decision Process: Decisions applying the Precautionary Principle must be transparent, participatory, and informed by the best available science and other relevant information.

http://environmentalcommons.org/precaution.html

Sunday March 18, 2007, 2:01 pm
I really, really do not comprehend that scientists can be that short-sighted that they actually think they know ALL about the new, contra-nature combinations that they "make".... Foreign genes are blasted in, and we do not even know everything about how genes work in their original species, let alone in a whole different one.
Don't they remember that the millions spent for Biospere II could not MAKE it work?

Natural occuring forms of Bt are degraded by soil microbes, but the more active forms produced in Bt crops are far more hardy and remain in the soil much longer, with much greater capacity to kill insects.
A healthy soil ecosystem neeeeeds bacteria, fungi, and other microrganisms, wothout them everything perishes.... NO amount of artificial fertilizer or GMO can "fix" that.

Sunday March 18, 2007, 2:08 pm
Wow, Larry, been reading that gmofreemendo website, powerful stuff!!

"More than 70% of the genetically engineered crops that are grown are crops engineered to be resistant to these companies’ own-brand chemicals. This means that a farmer can spray the field with the chemicals without harming the genetically engineered crop. "

THAT is what it's all about, not at all about reducing the amount of pesticides....just how much of those scary and harmful winds up in our bodies?