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EU members back near-total neonics ban
Environmentalists have welcomed the move, with the global activism site Avaaz calling it a “beacon of hope for bees”.
Environmentalists call ban ‘a beacon of hope for bees’ 

EU member states have voted in favour of a near-total ban on the use of neonicotinoids, after research has long linked their use to declines in pollinators.

Under the newly agreed regulation, nearly all outdoor uses of imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam will be banned. It builds on the EU’s partial ban, which was introduced in 2013.

Currently, restrictions on these chemicals apply to crops such as maize, wheat, barley, oats and oil seed rape.

Going forward, growers across the EU will only be able to use these neonicotinoids in greenhouses. The ban will be adopted in the coming weeks and will be in force by the end of the year.

The new regulation was driven by a recent report from the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa), which found that all neonicotinoids are a threat to many bee species, regardless of where or how they are used in the environment.

Environmentalists have welcomed the move, with the global activism site Avaaz calling it a “beacon of hope for bees”, according to BBC News.

However, the National Farmers Union said it was ‘a regrettable decision that is not justified by the evidence’.

Guy Smith, NFU deputy president, said: “Most agronomists agree that without neonicotinoids many crops grown in the UK will become less viable and a ban could simply mean we import more crops from parts of the world where there is no political desire to ban these key insecticides.

“So we will be looking to both the UK Government and the Commission to work with the industry to mitigate the effect of a ban on both food production and the environment.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.