The results of the forecasting model have been published today, and unfortunately, it’s bad news for bees. The threshold has been met, so a toxic neonicotinoid WILL be used on sugar beet this year. 

This is hugely disappointing, and we are concerned that this decision signals that the use of toxic neonicotinoids is once again becoming routine. It also flies in the face of the commitment the Government made on the international stage just a few months ago, to reduce the harms from pesticides by 50% by 2030. 

Neonicotinoids like thiamethoxam are extremely toxic to bees and other insects, so today’s decision is a bitter blow for our pollinators at a time when their populations are already in freefall. This is the second year in a row that thiamethoxam has been allowed in our fields, despite the Government’s own scientific experts advising against its use.  

The performance of last years’ sugar beet crop suggests that drought likely had a far greater impact on sugar beet than virus infection in 2022. With last month the driest February in 30 years, it is clear that we will continue to see the climate and nature emergencies place a huge amount of stress on our farm systems. It makes no sense to continue pursuing short-term chemical fixes which will only make the situation worse in the long run. 

Rather than giving the green light for bee-killing pesticides, the Government should instead be offering more support and incentives to help farmers move away from using harmful chemicals and strengthening regulation to ensure our wildlife is never again threatened by neonicotinoids. We know that nature-friendly farming can bring many benefits to both farmers and wildlife. It’s time that the Government recognised this and said #NoToNeonics once and for all. 

You can find more information about neonicotinoid pesticides, and the Government’s decision to authorise them, in our blog post published in response to the initial announcement on 31st January: Groundhog Day for pollinators: bee-killing pesticide approved for UK use again.