Topic: Colony Collapse Disorder

President Obama established a federal task force to address the decline of honey bees, a move the hosts link to a broader "war on Germany." Research suggests that pesticides produced by German company Bayer, such as Imidacloprid, are responsible for colony collapse, despite these chemicals being used in Australia without similar effects. The environmental group Friends of the Earth is identified as a key lobbyist pushing this narrative against German chemical interests.

A Harvard study linking colony collapse disorder in bees to high fructose corn syrup is analyzed as a potential PR move by the sugar industry. The hosts point out that the study actually focused on pesticides (imidacloprid) used on corn, and the "corn syrup" headline is a strategic distraction in the ongoing "sugar wars."

The hosts discuss a PBS Nature episode regarding Colony Collapse Disorder in bees, linking the deaths to the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) potentially imported from Australia or China. They also discuss a report on high levels of bug-killing chemicals found in 90% of sampled pears and other produce in the United States.

Researchers are investigating links between Monsanto's genetically modified corn and the disappearance of bee populations in Germany. Simultaneously, a mysterious fungus is killing bat populations across the United States, threatening natural mosquito control and agricultural pollination.

Monsanto's "Terminator" seeds, which are engineered to be sterile after one harvest, are being linked to the decline of bee populations. A theory suggests that the neutered pollen from these genetically modified plants may lack necessary nutrients, causing bees to starve or fail to return to their hives. This ecological disruption threatens the global food supply.

The decline of honey bee populations poses a significant threat to the global food chain, as bees are responsible for a large portion of crop pollination. Theories regarding the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder include the impact of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the potential for corporations like Monsanto to profit from self-pollinating crop patents.