Farm kills millions of bees with illegal pesticide spraying, gets slap on wrist{large image}

[xchrom]

http://grist.org/news/farm-kills-millions-of-bees-with-illegal-pesticide-spraying-gets-slap-on-wrist/

?w=250&h=166
Orange you glad you aren’t a bee in Florida?

A huge Florida citrus farm is being fined by state officials for poisoning millions of honeybees to death — but it’s not being fined very much.

Ben Hill Griffin Inc., one of the state’s largest growers and a supplier to Florida’s Natural orange juice, is accused of illegally spraying pesticides (i.e., not following the directions on the labels) in ways that led to the deaths of bees kept by nearby beekeepers. One apiarist told officials that the farm used crop-dusters to douse its groves at least a dozen times — presumably to control Asian citrus psyllid, which spreads the devastating citrus greening disease. He estimated his losses at $240,000 worth of bees and reduced honey production. Another beekeeper says he is down $150,000.

So how much is the Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Department fining the company? A paltry $1,500.

[Tigress DEM]

1. However, now that he's definitively been identified, he can be sued for damages.

The ticket for running a stop sign is issued and costs fairly little, but if running that stop sign results in an accident it is the piece of evidence that enables someone to sue for damages.

[ladjf]

2. Ah, another example of the greedy and unwise human mind at work. nt

[gopiscrap]

3. yup we truly don't care about the envirnment

[Rebellious Republican]

4. I will go one step further....

They do not care about humanity. Kill the pollinators and you kill us all. But its just a bug right, wrong its a life giving element that is as important as having trees to produce oxygen for our survival.

[gopiscrap]

5. agreed

[Rebellious Republican]

6. I am not as good as are many folks here at DU with written word but I do offer this.....

RR

[mstinamotorcity2]

7. Not the smartest growers.

Juice production suffers. As usual they hurt themselves. Orchard growers here have bee farms right on the orchards. In different areas of the land but they use them for helping their crops.

[Rebellious Republican]

8. The only thing better than orange blossom honey....

is tupelo honey!

[mstinamotorcity2]

11. That was Great !!!!!

Thank you. I really liked the song. Hadn't heard it before. Very bluesy. Very cool. Music the only true universal Language, next to numbers is one of my favorite things.

[secondvariety]

9. The Ben Hill Griffin

name carries a lot of weight in Florida. I wouldn't be surprised if the Legislature steps in and prevents any law suits from going through.

[DirkGently]

10. The football field at the U. Of Florida is

"Ben Hill Griffin stadium."

Should maybe think about changing that.

[hatrack]

21. "Bee-Killing Greedy Sociopathic Asshole Stadium"?

Just an idea . . .

[DirkGently]

22. That's the unofficial moniker, yes.

[valerief]

12. What do you expect from Florida, the nation's turd? nt

[Rebellious Republican]

14. valerief, come on now, we ain't all like that down here.

[valerief]

15. I know that, but too many are. I mean, Rick Scott? Really?

Not everyone in Texas is an asshole. Same with Kansas and North Carolina and a host of other states. But there are too many assholes in those states, and we know what assholes produce. Shit.

Sorry, RR, but Florida is where your grandparents and rights go to die. And it's a damn shame.

[Rebellious Republican]

16. Let me correct on one point....

pRick Scott. That is all.

[valerief]

17. I stand corrected!

[DirkGently]

18. Super intelligent comment there, val.

[valerief]

20. Thank you! nt

[Sand Wind]

13. Maybe their neighbours can suit them ? Nt

[n2doc]

19. I suspect the hive owners will boycott that area

See how well their crops go without any bees. Many crops in the US require massive numbers of hives to be transported in in order to pollinate the crop. I suspect the community of beehive owners will blacklist this guy, and his whole area. At least, I hope they do.