Ministers reject second request to use banned bee-harming pesticides

Campaigners welcome decision to turn down National Farming Union’s application for ‘emergency’ use of neonicotinoids for oil seed rape, reports ENDSAn application to use neonicotinoid pesticides to protect winter oilseed rape has been refused by government for the second time.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) concluded that the request did not meet the criteria for emergency use of two seed treatment agents to fight cabbage stem flea beetle, accordi