Governor Hochul Signs First-in-the-Nation Bill to Limit Neonic Pesticides
Advocates, Health Professionals, and Farmers Celebrate
ALBANY, NY (December 22, 2023) — A coalition of farmers, health professionals, and environmental groups are celebrating today after Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Birds and Bees Protection Act (S1856-A/A7640). The bill will limit the use of neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics), and, when fully implemented, would eliminate up to 80-90% of the neonics entering New York’s environment annually by prohibiting only unneeded neonic coatings on corn, soybean, and wheat seeds and non-agricultural lawn and garden uses.
The Birds and Bees Protection Act is the first in the nation to address the largest and most widespread neonic use – neonic coatings on corn and soybean seeds, which an extensive state-commissioned report, ongoing statewide field research, and real world experience show provide no economic benefits to farmers. The bill’s legislative passage sparked a chemical industry campaign to pressure the Governor to veto the bill through lobbying and misinformation. The final agreed upon version of the bill comes after long negotiations between the governor and legislative leaders.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will now be charged with promulgating a waiver program from the prohibitions on neonic seed coatings, which take effect in 2029. This marks a significant improvement over the current status quo, in which the agency exercises no regulatory authority over neonic seed coatings. Experience in jurisdictions like Quebec, which has successfully administered such a program since 2019, show that these programs are effective in drastically reducing the use of neonic seed coatings, while preserving flexibility for farmers.
The Birds & Bees Protection Act was championed by sponsors Assemblymember Glick and Senator Hoylman-Sigal, and passed the legislature in June with their leadership and that of Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, Assemblymember Solages, and Senator Harckham. Support for the Birds & Bees Protection Act is widespread with over 370 New York farms, businesses, and organizations having called for the bill’s passage. New York State health professionals, religious leaders, brewers, and chefs have also called on the Governor to sign the bill. The Buffalo News, The Times Union, and Newsday have editorialized in favor of the bill.
Long connected to mass losses of bees critical to New York’s agricultural economy and environment, neonics have emerged as the most ecologically destructive pesticides since DDT. In May, the U.S. EPA made the unprecedented finding that neonics are driving 200+ species toward extinction, and the pesticides have been linked with mass losses of birds, the collapse of aquatic ecosystems, and birth defects in deer. The pesticides extensively pollute New York water supplies and New Yorkers’ bodies, with recent research documenting near-ubiquitous and steadily rising levels of neonics in NYS pregnant women.
“We thank Governor Hochul for signing the Birds and Bees Protection Act into law,” said Bobbi Wilding, Executive Director of Clean+Healthy. “By eliminating the use of the neonicotinoid pesticides, our pollinators, wildlife, environment, and people's health will not be unnecessarily vulnerable to the harmful impacts of the toxic neonicotinoid pesticides.”
“Governor Hochul and the legislature have taken a critical step forward in protecting New York’s food systems, ecosystems, and public health by signing this first-in-the-nation bill,” said Dan Raichel, Acting Director of NRDC’s (Natural Resource Defense Council) Pollinator Initiative. “Neonics harm nearly every part of our environment—from the water to the soil to our health—and kill bees and other pollinators, driving down crop production. With the sensible and flexible model outlined in the bill, New York will now lead the country in commonsense regulation to curb the use of these dangerous pesticides.”
“The Sierra Club applauds Governor Hochul for signing The Birds and Bees Protection Act into law,“ said Caitlin Ferrante, Conservation Program Manager, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. “Using sound science as a backbone for the policies that protect NY’s pollinators, water, and soil health will ensure NY’s communities are safer for generations to come and we thank the Governor for her nation-leading action. The Sierra Club also thanks bill sponsors Assemblymember Glick and Senator Hoylman-Sigal, as well as the leadership of Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, Assemblymember Solages and Senator Harckham in ensuring these bills passed through both houses in the NYS Legislature.”
“By signing the Birds and Bees Act, Governor Kathy Hochul has written her name alongside that of Rachel Carson as a defender of birds, bees, butterflies, and all forms of pollinators and pollinator-dependent wildlife,” said pediatrician Kathleen Nolan, President of Physicians for Social Responsibility - New York. "Families in New York will now drink cleaner water and eat healthier foods, with greatly decreased exposure to dangerous nicotine-like chemicals.“
Andrew Williams, deputy director of state policy for the New York League of Conservation Voters said: By eliminating unnecessary and harmful chemicals in our treatment of pests, we will help protect New York's environment, food security, and agricultural economy. We applaud Governor Hochul for signing the Birds and Bees Protection Act into law and in doing so helping to ensure the survival of our essential pollinators and the health of our communities.
“We are overjoyed and buzzing with excitement,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “By banning unnecessary uses of toxic neonics, New York has prioritized protecting public health and pollinators over the pesticide industry’s interests. With the Birds and Bees Protection Act signed into law, we will have a future where the bees are still buzzing, the birds are chirping, and toxic neonics are not contaminating our water resources. CCE applauds Governor Hochul for signing this landmark legislation.”
“The passage of the Birds and Bees Protection Act is a significant step in safeguarding water quality and wildlife throughout New York,” said Jeremy Cherson, Senior Manager of Government Affairs for Riverkeeper. “This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the environmental advocates who emphasized the indisputable scientific evidence of the detrimental impact of neonic pesticides on both the natural ecosystem and human health.”
“The Adirondack Council applauds Governor Hochul for signing the Birds and Bees Protection Act,” said Raul J. Aguirre, Executive Director of the Adirondack Council. “The Birds and Bees Protection Act uses the best available science to protect our pollinators, human health, and the future of New York farming. We are grateful for the Governor’s environmental leadership and to the bill’s sponsors for championing this vital piece of legislation.”
“Thanks to Governor Hochul, New York leads the nation in protecting people and pollinators from toxic neonicotinoids,” said Jason Davidson, Senior Food and Agriculture Campaigner at Friends of the Earth. “In choosing to listen to the science and the will of the people over the exploitative pesticide industry, New York has set an example that we hope more states, and eventually EPA, will swiftly follow.”
“This is the win birds, insects, and ecosystems need in the Northeast!” said Hardy Kern, Director of Government Relations for American Bird Conservancy. “Neonics are devastating our natural world and our food systems. By signing the BBPA into law, Governor Hochul has made New York a leader in science-based conservation.”
“By signing the Birds and Bees Protection Act, Governor Hochul has ensured the protection of our pollinators, our water resources, and the health of all New Yorkers. This legislation will allow our staple crops to flourish without contaminating our food and environment with toxic neonic pesticides. We at EANY are grateful for the Governor’s national leadership on this issue - New York is now a model for the nation in stopping the spread of dangerous and unnecessary pesticides," said Adriana Ortega, Clean Water Associate at Environmental Advocates NY.
“By signing the Birds and Bees Protection Act Governor Hochul is protecting human and ecosystem health and supporting the viability of the thousands of NY farms that rely on native and honey bee populations to pollinate their crops each year,” said Katie Baildon, Policy Manager for NOFA-NY (Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY). “By restricting wasteful neonic use, NY is protecting not only pollinators but also insect predators that farmers count on for natural pest control and soil microbial life critical for capturing carbon and nutrient cycling. NOFA-NY is celebrating this important win that will significantly curb contamination of our environment, our bodies and the entire NY food system.”
“We applaud Governor Hochul for putting the health of New Yorkers first above the interests of the agrochemical industry,” said Elizabeth Moran, Policy Advocate for Earthjustice. “Opponents to the Birds and Bees Protection Act fought tooth and nail against this carefully tailored measure to restrict the use of dangerous, and often needless, neonicotinoid pesticides. We thank our partners, the voices of the thousands of New Yorkers who spoke out, Senator Hoylman-Sigal, and Assemblywoman Glick for their tireless efforts to get this critical legislation across the finish line.”
“Over the last decade, neonics have come under increasing scrutiny because of their negative impacts on birds, pollinators, other wildlife, and people,” said Erin McGrath, Senior Policy Manager, National Audubon Society. “Science has shown us that even low doses of neonics can prevent songbirds from orienting themselves for their migration, cause significant weight loss, and interfere with their reproductive success. Due to these impacts, the use of neonicotinoid insecticides should be greatly reduced to help reverse the steep declines observed in many bird populations. We thank Governor Hochul for taking swift action to curtail the unrestricted use of neonic pesticides and championing birds and the places they need to survive.”
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