A top US manufacturer of lawn and garden pesticides said it plans to eliminate products containing the neonicotinoid class of chemicals, the use of which has been linked to a massive decline in honeybee population. To protect #bees & #pollinators, Ortho (of @MiracleGro) phase out of #Neonics https://t.co/rUHEuhhQi9 pic.twitter.com/J1bceapNrK — Allison Aubrey (@AubreyNPRFood) April 12, 2016 In an announcement on Tuesday, Ortho, a division of Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, said that it will cease the use of neonicotinoid (“neonic”) ingredients imidacloprid, clothianidin and dinotefuran by 2017, while phasing out neonics in eight products that are used to kill garden pests by the year 2021. RT reports: Tim Martin, Ortho’s vice president and general manager, said the company will also begin a “multi-year partnership” with pollinator advocacy organizations to “to promote pollinator habitat” and “homeowner education” initiatives to encourage “responsible use of pesticides where pollinators can be found.” “This decision comes after careful consideration regarding the range of possible threats to honey bees and other pollinators,” Martin said in a statement. “While agencies in the United States are still evaluating the overall impact of neonics on pollinator populations, it’s time for Ortho to move on.” Martin added that the change may require gardeners [...]