Bees

Beekeepers, represented by Earthjustice, sued Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for allowing sulfoxaflor, a bee-killing pesticide linked to a nation-wide honeybee die-off, back on the market.

Defendant California Department of Pesticide Regulation (the Department), approved amended labels for two previously registered pesticides: Dinotefuran 20SG, manufactured by real party in interest Mistui Chemicals Agro, Inc. (Mitsui), and Venom Insecticide, manufactured by real party in interest Valent U.S.A. Corporation (Valent). The amended labels allowed both pesticides to be used on additional crops and allowed Venom Insecticide to be used in increased quantities. Both pesticides contain the active ingredient dinotefuran, which is from a class of pesticides called neonicotinoids. In approving the labels, the Department concluded uses of both pesticides in accord with the label amendments would cause no significant environmental effect on honeybees or the environment.