Folks, please take a look at this alarming garden-related article
from Americans for Non-Smokers' Rights

(I'm a longtime worker/fighter for non-smokers' rights, going back to
when I ran the local chapter of ANR's predecessor, GASP (Group Against
Smoking Pollution). Much progress has been made, thanks to the
tireless, dogged efforts of our teammates, but it took a lot of
patience and persistence to overcome the power of the tobacco lobby
and the venality of state legislatures and local authorities.

The battle is not yet won, so please consider joining ANR. www.non-
smoke.org Much appreciated.

Now to the garden-relevant excerpt from ANR's Fall 2010 Update:

"Will Nicotine Cause Crop Failures?

France, Germany, and Italy have banned the use of a certain
class of pesticides, nicotine-based neonicotinoids, after
discovering that they were killing off the bee population. The
Italian Agriculture Ministry initially suspended the use of these
pesticides as a “precautionary measure,” and the resultant rapid
restoration of the bee population led to the permanent ban.

These pesticides have not yet been banned in the U.S., so groups
like the Sierra Club have provided copies of the documentary
“Nicotine Bees” to members of Congress to educate them about
the pesticides’ devastating effects. Bee pollination is responsible
for one-third of our food supply and without it, food production
will decline sharply and people will go hungry."

As you may have read in other contexts, the U.S. is in trouble bee-
wise.
Fellow gardeners will understand the direct link between a healthy bee
population and large-scale production of essential foodstuffs.

Contact your Member of Congress to demand that these pesticides be
banned.

Also please contact the Sierra Club about arranging a showing of
"Nicotine Bees"
at your local library, church/synagogue, Y, or other organization.