WASHINGTON, D.C.—(ENEWSPF)—October 15, 2014. Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFM) issued a new product rating system today called Responsibly Grown that grades fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers as “good, better or best” based upon an established criteria, including pollinator protection. However, the system only prohibits four of the common neonicotinoid pesticides — a leading cause of global bee deaths — for those products that receive a “best” rating. Friends of the Earth calls for a suspension on systemic bee-toxic pesticides at food and garden retailers in order to protect our food supply and the environment.
Whole Foods joins the ranks of other retailers making pollinator health a priority. In the past year, more than a dozen nurseries, landscaping companies and retailers — including BJ’s Wholesale Club (NYSE: BJ), have taken steps to eliminate bee-harming pesticides from their stores.
Tiffany Finck-Haynes, Food futures campaigner at Friends of the Earth, offered the following comment:
Friends of the Earth applauds Whole Foods for taking steps in the right direction to protect our environment, farmers and food supply by restricting highly toxic pesticides. But in order to help solve the bee crisis, we urge Whole Foods and retailers across the country to prohibit all systemic bee-harming pesticides for agricultural use — including seed treatments — and cosmetic use to protect pollinators and the planet.
Source: www.foe.org