Germany suspends eight seed treatments
Date:06-05-2008
German regulatory authorities have suspended the registration of eight insecticidal seed treatments over concerns of damage to bees. The German federal office for consumer protection and food safety, the BVL, has suspended the registration of Bayer CropScience’s: Antarc, Chinook and Faibel (all imidacloprid), Poncho and Elado (both clothianidin), and Mesurol (methiocarb); and Syngenta's Cruiser OSR and Cruiser 350 FS (both thiamethoxam). The suspensions took effect on May 15th and cover the sale, import and use of the seed treatments.
Bee-keepers reported poisoning of their bees from the application of seed treatments. The BVL carried out a "thorough examination” of the affected areas in the south-west of Germany. It could not rule out the possibility of an “unacceptable effect on bees due to exposure” to the seed treatments.
Bayer says that it is co-operating with the authorities. Early results of studies indicate that unusually high quantities of dust had been emitted into the environment during sowing as a result of abrasion of maize seed from batches which had not been treated correctly, the company says. The origin of the defective batches of seed is being investigated, it adds.
Concerns were raised over the use of pneumatic seed drilling equipment, which could have resulted in higher exposure to bees. Bayer says that it is working with equipment manufacturers with a view to reducing dust drift. “We are convinced that suitable technical measures can be found to bring about a rapid and effective solution … and that the suspensions … can be lifted”， Bayer said. “[The company] will do its utmost to ensure that this technology will become available to German farmers for the next sowing period.” Farmers in the region were using Bayer’s products on maize for use against western corn rootworms (Diabrotica virgifera).
Products based on imidacloprid were Bayer’s best sellers globally last year at €556 million ($874 million at current rates), while clothianidin-based products were its fourth best sellers at €237 million ($373 million).
France banned the sale of Bayer’s imidacloprid-based Gaucho and BASF’s fipronil-based insecticides in 2004 due to concerns about their effects on bees. The French authorities were criticised bybee-keepers earlier this year following the approval of Cruiser under strict conditions.
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