September 14, 2021

Bee the Change


Bee the Change
"Conservation is Sweet!" The RussianLife files

Oh, the sting of the law! An agricultural enterprise in Chelyabinsk Oblast is facing legal consequences from the government for the mass killing of bees in what is a first in the country.

After citizens reported a massive extinction of the yellow pollinators last month, the Russian Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (no, we're not exactly sure what they do, either) investigated the area. They found that a single agricultural facility had sprayed pesticide that had killed bees within a seven-kilometer (4.4-mile) radius.

Not only did the company kill bees; they also failed to warn locals about the application of potentially harmful chemicals.

After an audit, the farm was found to have been in violation of numerous agricultural regulations. While the punishment is not yet known, Russian media are noting that this is the first case of legal action against apiacide in the Russian Federation.

We find the whole thing surprising, given Russians' love of honey.

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