Despite hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific studies demonstrating that neonicotinoid pesticides cause honey bee colony collapse, kill wild pollinating insects and earthworms, and directly harm birds, bats and even large mammals like white-tailed deer, pesticide manufacturers including Bayer and Monsanto have implemented a powerful strategy to protect their profits:

• deny that the problem of bee die-offs is real;
• distract attention from their products by blaming other factors for the die-offs;
• spread fake uncertainty and doubt about the scientific research;
• run their own studies to white-wash the pesticides;
• ridicule concerns over increasing pesticide use;
• fund and infiltrate academic institutions and bee-keeping associations;
• conspire to smear independent scientists and attack their reputations;
• punish and suspend scientists who speak out against the pesticides;
• and of course, heavily lobby politicians to defeat bans.