Pollination mainly carried out by bees 
is fundamental for humans
and crucial for maintaining the ecosystem's biodiversity
It is essential for agriculture, pharmacology 
and society's economy
In Europe, 84 percent of food production 
depends on pollination
We also have a strong cultural connection
to them, with a relation of thousands of years
Bees face diverse challenges due to anthropogenic
pressures that hinder their health
such as pests, climate change, resource 
availability, pollution and intoxication
from plant protection products
The risks from pesticides used in agriculture
have been researched
and recognized in the last couple of decades
However, other products such as those used
in animal husbandry also present a high risk
for bees and should require real consideration
After years of observing high bee mortality
rates in areas far from agricultural activities
but in the vicinity of livestock farms in
several regions of France
beekeepers became suspicious
Their claims lead UNAF, the National Union
of French Apiculture
to begin a study on the probable cause 
of mortality of the bee colonies
The report was made in collaboration with the French Federation of Professional Beekeepers (FFAP)
and BeeLife European Beekeeping Coordination,
an NGO for the protection of pollinators
The report confirms that veterinary antiparasitics
used for livestock and biocides applied in
these farms pose significant threats to bees
On the one hand, Cattle treated with 
antiparasitics can fecally excrete residues
or non metabolised substances in the pasture
Therefore, dung or contaminated puddles can
directly contaminate foraging honey bees
which prefer “dirty” over pure water
These contaminated excreta can also 
contaminate other areas by drying out
Insecticidal dust can then be deposited on 
the flower foraged by bees
On the other hand, biocidal products used
for veterinary hygiene can also affect bees
through several pathways
Used as larvicide for manure and slurry, also
used as a vector control during an epizootic
disease, their widespread use can threaten
bees and the environment
Following these findings, BeeLife and its
members (specially UNAF and FFAP) are asking
public authorities to seriously consider the
risks these products pose to bees
The first step is to recognise its dangers
and expand research on the subject
European authorities continue
to improve their engagement
to protect bees and pollinators in general
In line with their commitment, we propose
the following measures to limit the risks
from biocides used in livestock farming
Risk assessment, the toxicity that these products
have on pollinators must be included in the
risk assessment prior to marketing authorisations
Research, further research on these products
must be supported
Legislation revision of Directive 2000/75/EC,
which imposes systematic treatments on livestock
farms, insofar as they have proved ineffective
and pose an ecotoxic risk to non-target organisms
Awareness, authorities should raise awareness
to the issue, ensuring the public’s understanding
of the environmental risks at hand
This is an environmental and public health
issue, so the public is entitled to be informed
Providing further information to veterinary
doctors on the environmental
challenges that accompany these products
Alternatives, as a response to the environmental
challenge that these products create
alternatives should be further supported
Significant advances have been 
done in crop management
and it could also be the case for animal husbandry
A new opportunity arises from identifying
the risks that biocides
used in livestock  farming pose to bees
It opens the possibility to tackle ongoing
environmental problems
and change unsustainable practices
This is an invitation to continue working
towards the necessary protection of bees
For more information, visit the link in the
description and read
the full report on pesticides in 
livestock farming and bees
