7. SUE KEDGLEY (Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Agriculture
Is he confident that New Zealand will not suffer from the massive bee deaths that have occurred in other countries; if so, why?
Hon DAVID CARTER (Minister of Agriculture) Link to this
Yes, I am, although the member needs to understand that the cause of colony collapse disorder is unknown. I therefore cannot give a cast-iron guarantee that such a disease will never occur in New Zealand.
Is he aware that honey bees are acutely vulnerable to some pesticides, and will the Government take action to phase out the pesticides that are the most toxic to bees, as Italy, Germany, France, and other European countries have done following the loss of millions of honey bees there; if not, why not?
I am aware that some pesticides are toxic to bees. However, such pesticides are an essential tool for farmers to use to control other insects. What needs to be done is to take care in the application of pesticides in order to minimise any risk to the bee population.
Shane ArdernSuch a ban would have a significant impact on the viability of our farmers and our growers. A prohibition of that type would expose the sector to the very real risk of significant crop loss and economic harm. Although very few producers like to use pesticides, almost all producers regard them as a necessary component of modern agriculture.
What evidence does the Minister have to support his theory that we can safely continue to use pesticides that are acutely toxic to bees, given that a number of European countries are banning them or phasing them out because they recognise that the stakes are simply too high to take that kind of risk?
We have a very thorough process here for the approval of any pesticide to be used in New Zealand. An independent panel is currently examining the decisions by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the independent panel of the Environmental Risk Management Authority reviews the standards very carefully before any approval is given for the use of any pesticide in this country.
Does he agree with Federated Farmers that without bees, our ecosystem and our economy would collapse; if so, why will he not take a precautionary approach when the stakes are so high?
I totally agree with Federated Farmers as to the importance of the bee population to this country, but, as I have explained to the member, to simply ban the use of pesticides, without considering the other economic impacts on the rest of agriculture, would be folly indeed.
Can the Minister confirm that I was talking not about all pesticides but about those pesticides that are the most toxic to bees, and does he agree with Landcare Research that human health depends on pollinators, as 70 percent of crop species need them, and does he agree with Horticulture New Zealand that there are multibillion dollars in export earnings derived from pollinated crops, which put jobs in our rural towns and moneys in the bank; and if he does agree with those organisations, can he explain exactly how high the stakes would have to get before his Government would act to phase out those pesticides that are most acutely toxic to bees?
I fully appreciate the importance of bees to our agricultural and horticultural industries. That is why it was with pleasure that I was involved with the launch of National Bee Week in Parliament yesterday in association with the National Beekeepers’ Association. If any information is presented to me or to my other parliamentary colleagues, particularly with regard to the safety of any chemical in the light of fresh information, of course I will look at that. But I am not going to make decisions based on emotional claims. The decisions must be based on science.
I seek leave to table a document from the Soil Association in the United Kingdom, which is a briefing about the toxicity to bees of groups of pesticides that are widely used in New Zealand.
Mr SPEAKER