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Research firm blames Monsanto for Bee Deaths - so Monsanto buys it.

I'm too busy trying to keep from stroking out because of this article to go looking for a "real" news source.

CLICKY

Monsanto, the genetically modified food giant, has recently purchased Beeologics, a leading bee research firm. Borrowing a move from the tobacco companies? playbook, Monsanto appears to have decided that if you do not like the scientific reports coming out about you, then you should just buy the labs.

Beginning in 2007, Beeologics has researched two critical bee issues: colony collapse disorder and Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus. In late September of last year, Monsanto acquired Beeologics for an undisclosed amount. In making this purchase, Monsanto now has control of research that has previously pointed at its pesticides for contributing to ? if not outright causing ? a sharp decline in bee populations. Multiple studies in recent years have linked pesticides and high fructose corn syrup with colony collapse disorder.

Portential outcome manipulations

With Monsanto?s vested interest in bee research?s conclusions, there is reason to believe that the true causes of and solutions for these bee epidemics may be manipulated if not lost entirely. Indeed, it seems likely that now some new study released by Beeologics will find that GMOs are not the problem after all.

Prior to the acquisition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture looked to Beeologics as its top resource for bee research. In effect, Monsanto has now positioned itself even better with the USDA. For that reasons, health experts and entomologists alike are upset that Beeologics would be willing to self itself to Monsanto in the first place. Alas, sometimes it is more about the money than the honey.

Will own new research tools

Another motivation for Monsanto to take over the research company is to acquire the Remebee technology that Beeologics had been developing. In a statement, Monsanto said, ?[We] will use the base technology from Beeologics as a part of its continuing discovery and development pipeline. Biological products will continue to play an increasingly important role in supporting the sustainability of many agricultural systems.? Evidently, the way to solve problems caused by chemicals is by using more chemicals.

Still, Monsanto insists it will use Beeologic?s research to improve the world. ?We?re absolutely committed to Beeologics? existing work,? said Monsanto spokesperson Kelly Powers. From an optimistic perspective, one could take Monsanto at its word and hope that a corporation that is causing the bee problem would then use information it has purchased to help fix the situation.

Given Monsanto?s track record, however, many are definitely adopting a more pessimistic perspective, assuming that Monsanto will find a way to profit off whatever it deems the solution to the bee crisis with some exclusive product or perhaps just cover it up entirely. After the Natural Society named Monsanto the ?Worst Company of 2011? for a myriad of reasons, here?s hoping that other bee research organizations keep buzzing toward a true identification of the threats posed to bees.

A big old middle finger to you, stupid Nest.

Re: Research firm blames Monsanto for Bee Deaths - so Monsanto buys it.

  • Monsanto needs to work fast - it only has 8 more months to fulfill its destiny as destroyer of civilization.
  • imagepixy_stix:

    . Multiple studies in recent years have linked pesticides and high fructose corn syrup with colony collapse disorder.

    Can anyone explain what high fructose corn syrup has to do with this? I guess I could click on the link and read the study, but you know....I'd like the short version for dummies, please!

  • imageis_it_over_yet?:
    Monsanto needs to work fast - it only has 8 more months to fulfill its destiny as destroyer of civilization.

    They bought the Mayans, allowing them to push the date up to a more comfortable goal. 

  • imagesandsonik:
    imagepixy_stix:

    . Multiple studies in recent years have linked pesticides and high fructose corn syrup with colony collapse disorder.

    Can anyone explain what high fructose corn syrup has to do with this? I guess I could click on the link and read the study, but you know....I'd like the short version for dummies, please!

    Beekeepers use HFCS to feed their bees/beef up the food supply. Corn is treated with a chemical that stays through the rendering into HFCS. That chemical is linked to CCD.

    A big old middle finger to you, stupid Nest.
  • imagesandsonik:
    imagepixy_stix:

    . Multiple studies in recent years have linked pesticides and high fructose corn syrup with colony collapse disorder.

    Can anyone explain what high fructose corn syrup has to do with this? I guess I could click on the link and read the study, but you know....I'd like the short version for dummies, please!

    Commercial bee diets are supplemented with high-fructose corn syrup. The corn syrup is made from corn that has been treated with neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids were "developed in the 1990s as a relatively less-toxic alternative to pesticides that seriously harmed human health, neonicotinoids soon became the world?s fastest-growing pesticide class.[...].neonicotinoids disrupt insects? central nervous systems. But unlike earlier pesticides, which affected insects during and immediately after spraying, neonicotinoids spread through the vascular tissues of plants. They?re toxic through entire growing seasons, including flowering times when bees consume their pollen." 

    Link

    So basically, high-fructose corn syrup is contributing to bee deaths from their supplemented diet in the commercial bee industry. 

    Also, Monsanto scares the crap out of me. 

    ETA: Pixy Stixx response is much more digestible than mine.  

    Daisypath Happy Birthday tickersimage
  • Makes me want to start a hive in my backyard.  This is bad news for academic researchers looking to get funding and help with finding bee-destruction/disappearance causes. 
    image

    Are you united with the CCOKCs?

  • imageKateAggie:

    imageis_it_over_yet?:
    Monsanto needs to work fast - it only has 8 more months to fulfill its destiny as destroyer of civilization.

    They bought the Mayans, allowing them to push the date up to a more comfortable goal. 

    Yes and /ded.

  • This is interesting and infuriating. There is definitely more to CCD than HFCS supplementation, though. We lost our hive and a friend lost about 12 hives last year to CCD and we don't use HFCS.
  • Is pixy's post not showing up for anyone else?? It's gone but the replies are here - it's like I have her blocked, but I checked and I don't.  Plus her other posts show up in other threads. Sad I really wanted to read this article too!
    image
  • imageheliocentric:
    This is interesting and infuriating. There is definitely more to CCD than HFCS supplementation, though. We lost our hive and a friend lost about 12 hives last year to CCD and we don't use HFCS.

    Did they just disappear? Or did they die in the hive? Did you have them checked for mites? 

    A big old middle finger to you, stupid Nest.
  • I'm too busy trying to keep from stroking out because of this article to go looking for a "real" news source. 

    CLICKY 

    Monsanto, the genetically modified food giant, has recentlypurchased Beeologics, a leading bee research firm. Borrowing a move from the tobacco companies? playbook, Monsanto appears to have decided that if you do not like the scientific reports coming out about you, then you should just buy the labs.

    Beginning in 2007, Beeologics has researched two critical bee issues: colony collapse disorder and Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus. In late September of last year, Monsanto acquired Beeologics for an undisclosed amount. In making this purchase, Monsanto now has control of research that has previously pointed at its pesticides for contributing to ? if not outright causing ? a sharp decline in bee populations. Multiple studies in recent years have linked pesticides and high fructose corn syrup with colony collapse disorder.

    Portential outcome manipulations

    With Monsanto?s vested interest in bee research?s conclusions, there is reason to believe that the true causes of and solutions for these bee epidemics may be manipulated if not lost entirely. Indeed, it seems likely that now some new study released by Beeologics will find that GMOs are not the problem after all.

    Prior to the acquisition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture looked to Beeologics as its top resource for bee research. In effect, Monsanto has now positioned itself even better with the USDA. For that reasons, health experts and entomologists alike are upset that Beeologics would be willing to self itself to Monsanto in the first place. Alas, sometimes it is more about the money than the honey.

    Will own new research tools

    Another motivation for Monsanto to take over the research company is to acquire the Remebee technology that Beeologics had been developing. In a statement, Monsanto said, ?[We] will use the base technology from Beeologics as a part of its continuing discovery and development pipeline. Biological products will continue to play an increasingly important role in supporting the sustainability of many agricultural systems.? Evidently, the way to solve problems caused by chemicals is by using more chemicals.

    Still, Monsanto insists it will use Beeologic?s research to improve the world. ?We?re absolutely committed to Beeologics? existing work,? said Monsanto spokesperson Kelly Powers. From an optimistic perspective, one could take Monsanto at its word and hope that a corporation that is causing the bee problem would then use information it has purchased to help fix the situation.

    Given Monsanto?s track record, however, many are definitely adopting a more pessimistic perspective, assuming that Monsanto will find a way to profit off whatever it deems the solution to the bee crisis with some exclusive product or perhaps just cover it up entirely. After the Natural Society named Monsanto the ?Worst Company of 2011? for a myriad of reasons, here?s hoping that other bee research organizations keep buzzing toward a true identification of the threats posed to bees.

    image
  • It ruined my already shittacular day FYI
    image
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