This is big news: Michael Gove’s had a change of heart -- the Environment Minister has come out in support of a total ban on use of neonics in farming. But with the government’s recent 25-year environment plan failing to set any concrete targets to reduce our dependence on the dangerous herbicide, more needs to be done.

We want to see Michael Gove put his money where his mouth is, and push to include a clear pesticide reduction target in the government’s upcoming agricultural bill. 

Environment Secretary Michael Gove: we need a clear strategy from this government to phase out the use of neonics in British agriculture!

Gove’s support for a neonic ban reverses the government’s previous position on the issue.

“The weight of evidence now shows the risks neonicotinoids pose to our environment, particularly to the bees and other pollinators which play such a key part in our £100bn food industry, is greater than previously understood,” he said.

With flying-insect populations decreasing dramatically across the UK, and new evidence showing neonicotinoids have damaged our rivers and landscapes, we need the government to act now!

Michael Gove: enough talk -- use the upcoming agricultural bill to outline clearly how this government plans to eliminate use of neonics from British farms!

Thousands of some of us members have come together, and made huge strides towards ridding the world of neonic pesticides. Canada is considering a ban on one of the industry’s most popular neonicotinoids, and France is poised to institute a total ban by 2018.

But in order to ensure a liveable future for the bees -- and all of us -- we need to come together now to push for a total ban of bee-killing neonics in the UK. The momentum is on our side: let’s make it count.

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