For decades, French farmers sprayed pesticides they were told were harmless. Many have since fallen ill, grappling with cancers and other diseases caused by exposure. As the EU prepares to vote on a package that would end regular safety reviews of most pesticides, victims, doctors and scientists warn it could keep harmful products on the market for longer.
For most of his life, José Nadan worked as a professional beekeeper in Morbihan, a coastal area in Brittany known for its medieval towns and fresh seafood. At the start of his career, he recalls a golden age of beekeeping, when each year, and “without much effort”, the number of hives would naturally increase.
