what we're doing
To address the decline in bees, we're taking action on pesticides, have created a research fund and are inspiring people to help bees in their gardens. Read on about our planned activity for 2010 or find out our activities to date.
Plan Bee activity in 2010
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The Co-operative will continue raise awareness about honeybees and their recent decline.
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A further £160,000 has been made available to support research into the demise of the honeybee. This is in addition to £150,000 committed to research in 2009.
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The Co-operative Food will continue with its temporary prohibition on the use of six of the neonicotinoid pesticides on own-brand fresh and frozen produce, which was introduced in 2009.[1]
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The Co-operative Farms is in the second year of a three year trial to develop a wildflower seed mix that will be planted alongside crops on our farms.
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The Co-operative will continue to support its members and customers to become bee-friendly gardeners, with advice and tips, through the Plan Bee campaign.
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In 2009, The Co-operative gave away over 300,000 packets of seeds to members and customers. More packets of wildflower seeds will be given away in 2010.
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The Co-operative will continue to make available discounted bee boxes which provide shelter for solitary bees.
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The Co-operative will continue to support its members to find out more about amateur beekeeping. In 2010, we will have urban beekeeper training projects in Manchester, London and Scotland.
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The Co-operative Farms is again inviting beekeepers to establish hives on its farms.
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The Co-operative will continue to promote the two documentaries we produced about ‘What’s happening to bees in the UK’ and ‘The Co-operative’s Plan Bee’. We'll also continue to support the film documentary ‘Vanishing of the Bees’, released in UK cinemas in 2009.
[1] In April 2010, in light of evidence that two of the neonicotinoids, acetamiprid and thiacloprid, are lower risk to bees these have been moved from prohibited to monitored status in the pesticides policy.
watch a film about our campaign
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