Poland Bans GE Corn to Protect Bee Populations

Poland has banned a strain of genetically engineered Monsanto corn, citing a link between the pervasive crop and the rapid decline of honeybee populations. After experts determined that widely used neonicotinoid insecticides were causing colony collapse disorder—a worldwide phenomenon wherein honeybees die in mass quantities—Polish beekeepers and bee advocates circulated a petition to prohibit the country from using Mon810, which was modified to self-produce the popular insecticide. In response, the Polish government has banned the controversial crop, marking the first time a country has definitively acknowledged a link between Monsanto’s genetically modified foods and honeybees’ widespread collapse. Scientists say honeybees play a critical role in the pollination process, and their decline could threaten the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems.