Pollinators play a vital role in our ecosystem and are responsible for one in three bites of food we eat every day. Unfortunately, pollinator populations in Vermont and around the country are being threatened by a class of widely used pesticides called neonicotinoids. Fortunately, earlier this year the Vermont Legislature passed the Pollinator Protection Act (Act 182) to directly address the issue.
First, a little background on neonics.
Neonicotinoid pesticides have contributed to a dramatic decline in pollinator populations in Vermont. A “systemic” pesticide, neonics can persist for months to years after a single application, and leach into the soil and water, causing downstream effects well beyond destroying pests on crops. They pose a huge threat to Vermont’s bee population and have been linked to increased mortality in apiaries across the state, either killing bees outright or weakening them and making populations more susceptible to disease and colony collapse syndrome.
Neonics can also seriously harm fish populations by decimating their food sources. According to Audubon Vermont, neonic use has been linked to a 75% decline in songbirds and other birds that rely on agricultural habitats. Insect-eating bird populations have declined 3.5% per year since the introduction of neonic pesticides. Birds play an important role in pest control, so neonic use may be exacerbating the very problem it is trying to solve.
Environmental groups, farmers, businesses, and beekeepers from around the state came together this year to try and do something about this existential threat to a keystone of our food system. The Vermont Legislature successfully crafted and passed legislation to phase out the use of neonic pesticides, protecting our environment, pollinators, and health.
- We aren’t the first to try this.
In 2019, the Canadian province of Quebec banned the use of neonicotinoid-coated seeds, except in certain instances. During a panel discussion at the University of Vermont, Quebec farmers reported no increases in crop loss whatsoever, and no change in their yields. The European Union has also banned most neonics, and New York State passed similar legislation in 2023.
- Neonic coated seeds have little to no economic benefits to farmers.
In addition to seeing no change in crop yields, Quebec farmers reported lower seed costs as untreated seeds are cheaper than insecticide-coated seeds. A comprehensive study out of Cornell found the same to be true.
- Neonicotinoids may pose serious health risks to humans.
A 2020 study of pregnant women from across the country found neonics present in more than 95% of the participants. During the debate over the legislation, Vermont health experts warned that, “Exposures to neurotoxic chemicals like neonics during pregnancy and early in life raise special concerns—similar to those raised by lead and mercury—because of the exquisite sensitivity of the developing brain and nervous system.”
- The law will phase out the use of nearly all neonics in Vermont.
Act 182 prohibits the use of neonic-treated field crop seeds (including corn, soy, wheat, and cereal) beginning in 2029. Starting in 2025, the new law restricts outdoor uses of neonics that are harmful to pollinators. This includes applications to crops in bloom and to ornamental plants.
- The law includes an emergency exemption process.
In the case of outdoor uses of neonics, an exemption process will allow the restrictions to be lifted in response to either an environmental emergency or an agricultural emergency. Regarding treated seeds, a temporary exemption is possible for farmers who complete an integrated pest management training and conduct an on-farm pest risk assessment that demonstrates a need to use neonicotinoid-treated seeds. It should be noted that in Quebec, farmers reported no issues finding sufficient supplies of untreated seeds, and very few have needed to use Quebec’s exemption process, which is similar to Vermont’s.
What’s Next?
The initial ban on the outdoor application of neonicotinoid pesticides takes effect on July 1st, 2025. In the coming months leading up to the ban, regulations will be drafted by the Agency of Agriculture and made available for public comment. These regulations are expected to provide more details on how exemptions to the ban would operate. In cases where an exemption is granted, the regulations must spell out the steps that would need to be taken in order for limited use of the pesticide to take place. The public and a special committee of the Legislature will have an opportunity to weigh in on these regulations before they are finalized.