What were they thinking.

[Greengage]

I note that Dave Goulson takes issue with the BBKA
The leaflet goes on to say that “Provided that garden care products are used as directed on the label, they will not pose a problem to bee health.”
So who produced this wildly misleading leaflet? The Crop Protection Association, the Horticultural Trades Association, and the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA). The first two come as no surprise; these are essentially wings of the agrochemical industry, pushing their poisons as usual. But the BBKA? Really? Shame on you.
http://splash.sussex.ac.uk/blog/for/...his-propaganda

[Jon]

I am afraid in this case Goulson is talking complete crap. The leaflet is produced by the crop protection agency and the BBKA and others are mentioned in the leaflet as sources of information on bees.

leaflet here

[Alvearium]

I am afraid in this case Goulson is talking complete crap. The leaflet is produced by the crop protection agency and the BBKA and others are mentioned in the leaflet as sources of information on bees.

leaflet here

The Crop Protection Agency members are all the major players in the pesticide industries. They have important points they wish to put over in support of their products and all the usual arguments are there. Professor Goulson has concerns at the way the BBKA name has been associated so prominently in this leaflet with the pesticides industry. True, the leaflet advises you to seek further information from the BBKA but what information and advice are the BBKA going to give? No it is simply a way of using the good name of beekeepers to support the industry by association. I do not use pesticides in my garden, do you? Would the SBA ever get away with allowing their name to be associated in this way? Not if their members got a whiff of this!

[Greengage]

Its all about perception their name is mentioned on the leaflet therefore reading the leaflet one would presume that BBKA endorsed it, wheather they did or didnt is irrelevant to the customer. Lots of readers of the leaflet would presume they endorsed with it. Ill check their website to see if they are distancing themselves from it.
It says Currently, bee health in the UK and in many other countries worldwide is being compromised and naturally this is of very serious concern. A number of culprits have been identifed: including
• Parasitic mites such as Varroa
• Bacterial, fungal and viral diseases
• Habitat loss and degradation
• Genetic factors
Nowhere on the leaflet does it claim that insecticides actually kill pollinators which would include Honey bees. I dont know Dave Goulson but he has a genuine intrest in pollinating insects and speaks a lot of sense.

[prakel]

Its all about perception their name is mentioned on the leaflet therefore reading the leaflet one would presume that BBKA endorsed it, wheather they did or didnt is irrelevant to the customer. Lots of readers of the leaflet would presume they endorsed with it.

I'm inclined to agree with you Greengage, especially as one of the three logos on the front cover of the leaflet is that of the BBKA. Only total incompetence would allow such use without permission (irrespective of whether the organisation was in agreement or not with the contents of the leaflet).

[Jon]

The leaflet is 4 years old.
I was just pointing out that the leaflet was not produced by

The Crop Protection Association, the Horticultural Trades Association, and the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA)

The leaflet was produced by the Crop Protection Association.

Alvearium - I don't use insecticides anywhere especially in my own garden.

[prakel]

The leaflet is 4 years old.

But it is still current/listed on the CPA's advisory leaflet catalogue. Side stepping the fine details of actual production surely at the very least the BBKA (and HTA) must have had it proof read and agreed with the contents before authorizing the use of their names on the cover.

[Greengage]

Its immaterial whether its 4 days old or 400 years old there is no date on it and if it is the first time you see the leaflet displayed in a store I would get the impression that the BBKA were supportive of its contents.
I'am not a Member of it, but if the Irish bee keeping Association or NIHBS were associated with such a leaflet I would have serious concerns.
Some people think Honey bees are the only pollinators but they are one part of it, Bumblebees, Solitary bees, Hover flies, Butterflies , Moths and beetles are all pollinators, Insecticides do exactly what it says on the tin they do not discriminate,
I goggled BBKA and their association with Chemical companies and its not the first time they have been associated with something like this in the past they received money from them. http://www.britishbeekeeping.com/
I showed the leaflet to a couple of people at work who have no interest in Honey bees or insects and they assumed the products are Ok because it was endorsed by the BBKA, When I explained that was not what it said on the leaflet but it recommended they contact the BBKA for more information. The question was would they recommend specific chemicals that does not effect Honey bees or just say avoid it. It just looks bad.