Should Governor Kathy Hochul sign a bill that New York legislators have passed, it would be the nation’s first ban on certain uses of neonicotinoids, insecticides related to nicotine that has shown to be harmful to pollinators.
Environmental organizations and the public have long urged the state to ban neonicotinoids to protect birds and bees and are hopeful the governor will sign the “Birds and Bees Protection Act.” The bill has been considered for several years, and supporters say it will reduce neonic exposure in the state by 80 to 90 percent.
The bill would ban the sale of neonic-coated corn, soybean, and wheat seeds and lawn and garden uses. This would tremendously advance toward the much-needed protection for birds and bees.
“The Birds and the Bees Protection Act is the first in the nation to limit neonic-coated seeds, which contaminate our soil, waterways, and bodies,” said Dan Raichel, acting director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s pollinator initiative.
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