Birds and Bees Protection Act Signed Into Law

Some good news was delivered just before Christmas to members of the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association.

Just days after the local non-profit asked residents to lend their support for the Birds and Bees Protection Act, the Governor signed the bill into law. The legislation protects New Yorkers from potentially harmful toxins by prohibiting the use of certain neonicotinoid pesticide-treated corn, soybean, or wheat seeds and neonicotinoid pesticides for outdoor ornamental plants and turfs, creating important protections for New York’s pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.

An extensive study in 2020 by Cornell University stated that the economic benefit of coated seeds was minimal.