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5 AGRICULTURE EDITION REVIEW OF THE YEAR | insects, the sharp declines recorded in pollinator populations across many parts of the world – including Europe, South Asia and North America – are sounding alarm bells, which are ringing loudly in the corridors of power. Although it is recognised that there are a number of factors that are likely to be behind the insects' demise – such as habitat loss, changes in farming practices and climate change – a group of pesticides known as neonicotinoids was identified as a prime suspect. A report published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) identified a 'high acute risk' to bees from three commercially available neonicotinoid pesticides. This was enough scientific evidence for the European Commission (EC) to propose a two-year ban on the use of the chemicals. However, not all member states agreed. The UK government published findings that, on the face of it, suggested there was not a clearly proven link between the pesticides and pollinator declines, challenging the EFSA conclusions. During a Commons debate in June 2013, Defra minister David Heath observed: 'From laboratory tests we are clear that neonicotinoids have a toxicity for bees.' But, he added: 'We do not know, however, what the exposure is in a natural environment, and the two things go together. Many things are toxic but do not create a deleterious effect in the field, simply because the exposure is too low.' Pesticide manufacturers said that farmers would still have to treat their crops and would have to revert to older generations of chemicals. However, UK-based groups – such as Friends of the Earth, the British Beekeepers Association and Buglife – were supportive of the EC's proposed ban, arguing that the role played by pollinators is worth £500 million to the UK economy. Following the EC's decision to go ahead with the ban, which came into effect in December 2013, the UK government announced that it would convene a group of experts to assess existing evidence on pollinator declines. Peter Kendall, former president of the National Farmers' Union and chairman of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, was not supportive of the decision by Brussels. 'There is a strong feeling among farmers that we are worse off and the environment is worse off', he told the Guardian newspaper. He added that he expected his crop yield to be down by around 30% as a result of the ban, and the 700,000 hectare UK crop to be down by a quarter at a cost of millions of pounds. As background for MPs and Lords, the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology published a POSTnote on the issue. It explained: 'Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticide that kills insect pests by disrupting neurological function. They are also toxic to non-target insects and aquatic invertebrates but are far less toxic to vertebrates. They can be applied as a spray, but are mostly applied as a seed coating that is absorbed into the UK groups supported the EC's ban of neonicotinoid pesticides