How popcorn could help save the bees

Movie night just isn’t complete without a buttery bowl of popcorn — but most of us probably wouldn’t expect that bowl of popcorn to be one of the reasons bees are facing an extinction crisis.

These days, almost every corn seed planted in the U.S. is coated in toxic, bee-killing pesticides called neonicotinoids (neonics for short). From there, the chemicals spread through the water and soil, poisoning, paralyzing or killing bees. 

Bees are nature’s most effective pollinators. Because of their hard work buzzing from flower to flower, they are responsible for about one third of the entire globe’s food production. Neonic pesticides are supposed to protect crops, but what they actually do is kill agriculture’s best animal allies. 

To protect bees from these toxic pesticides, we need some of our biggest corn buyers, including popcorn makers, to step up. That’s why we’re calling on Orville Redenbacher to commit to buying popcorn from farmers who don’t use neonic-covered seeds. 

What neonics do to bees

Even when bees don’t pollinate the pesticide-treated corn, once neonics enter the environment, they can seep into the soil or water. When unsuspecting bees encounter these chemicals, it can lead to paralysis, uncontrollable shaking or death.

Bees sometimes even unknowingly pack neonic particles into “bee breads,” bundles of pollen that they take back to the hive for young worker bees to eat, which then spreads the toxins throughout the entire colony.

In part because of neonics, American bumblebee populations have plummeted by 90% in the last two decades. 

How Orville Redenbacher can help phase out bee-killing pesticides

We have to stop using neonics on our crops now — before it’s too late for these essential pollinators. That’s why we’re pursuing every option to restrict the use of these pesticides — from the White House to home improvement stores, from local government to food producers. So far, we’ve helped push 13 states to restrict bee-killing pesticides. But there’s so much still to do. 

Right now, we’re turning our attention to popcorn giant Orville Redenbacher, which sells $360 million in popcorn and related products every year. If Orville Redenbacher publicly committed to only buying from farmers who don’t use bee-killing pesticides, it would be huge and could motivate other companies to step up their efforts to protect pollinators.

Removing neonics from Orville Redenbacher’s chain would be an important step forward. We owe it to our bees to give them the best chance at a safer, toxic-free future.

Are you in? Join us in telling Orville Redenbacher to stop buying neonic-grown corn.