Cornucopia’s Take: France’s Agriculture Minister had been pressing for the easement of a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides taking effect in 2018, but the Environment Minister refused to convinced. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe then interceded to allow the ban to stand. President Macron has indicated he will likewise uphold the ban. Corporate interests in the U.S. have been much more successful in preventing a similar action here to the bee-killing pesticide.

French PM says ban on ‘bee-killer’ pesticide will go ahead
Phys.org

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe weighed in on a row between his environment and agriculture ministers on Monday to rule that a pesticide found harmful to bees would be banned in 2018 as scheduled.

A ban on neonicotinoids, set down in a 2016 law on protecting biodiversity, has been fiercely opposed by cereal and sugar-beet farmers, who dispute research highlighting the chemicals’ risk to bees.

In the first sign of discord in the week-old French government, Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert has been lobbying for the upcoming ban to be eased.

He complained that French law “went further than European law” on the issue, implying that it put French farmers at a disadvantage against competitors.

The European Union set down a temporary ban on the use of three key neonicotinoids in 2013.

Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot, a former activist and high-profile TV presenter, hit back that “where health is at risk, I won’t make any concessions.”

“We have made too many concessions” in this area, he said. “We will find out about the disaster soon enough.”

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe weighed in on a row between his environment and agriculture ministers on Monday to rule that a pesticide found harmful to bees would be banned in 2018 as scheduled. A ban on neonicotinoids, set down in a 2016 law on protecting biodiversity, has been fiercely opposed by cereal and sugar-beet farmers, who dispute research highlighting the chemicals’ risk to bees. In the first sign of discord in the week-old French government, Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert has been lobbying for the upcoming ban to be eased. He complained that French law “went further than European law” on the issue, implying that it put French farmers at a disadvantage against competitors. The European Union set down a temporary ban on the use of three key neonicotinoids in 2013. Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot, a former activist and high-profile TV presenter, hit back that “where health is at risk, I won’t make any concessions.” “We have made too many concessions” in this area, he said. “We will find out about the disaster soon enough.”