George Borrello
State Senator George Borrello is disappointed with passage of “The Birds and Bees Protection Act.”
The Act is in response to a 2020 report from Cornell University finding that using neonics poses a threat to the state’s bees while providing few benefits to farmers.
The legislation allows a phase-in period of several years, giving seed suppliers, farmers and others the needed time to adapt.
The bill specifically targets the use of neonics for treated corn, wheat and soy seeds.
Borrello issued a statement saying he was deeply disappointed with the Senate’s passage of the bill, saying, “Use of this innovative technology has helped farmers optimize crop yield and quality and allowed them to greatly reduce the large-scale spraying of older, more toxic and environmentally harmful pesticides. Pesticide application rates will increase by an estimated 375 percent per acre if this bill is enacted into law.”
Borrello said other studies have confirmed that neonics are safe for bees and other pollinators and the product has been registered for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). He said the “attempt by legislators to override the DEC’s regulatory authority and expertise in this area is reckless and sets a dangerous precedent. ”
The New York Farm Bureau also issued a statement saying, “The vote to ban an entire class of pesticides and treated seeds is deeply concerning, especially because of the precedent it sets. The Department of Environmental Conservation and its expertise should maintain the authority to properly review and register risk management tools, something the legislature is stripping away.”
The Farm Bureau also requested that Governor Kathy Hochul veto the bill.
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