The Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association is asking for your help in urging the Governor to sign a bill into law this week called the Birds and Bees Protection Act.
Passed by both the Assembly and Senate earlier this year, the Act states that neonicotinoid pesticides, which are used to coat corn, wheat, and soybean seeds, will be prohibited starting in 2027. Pure Waters says it supports the bill for several reasons including:
- An extensive study in 2020 by Cornell University revealed that the plant that germinates from a coated seed uses only about 5-10% of the pesticide coating. The rest is water soluble and runs off into watershed and eventually into the lake.
- The study also stated that the economic benefit of coated seeds was minimal
- A side effect of using coated seeds is that insects, including our economically-vital pollinators (such as bees), as well as useful insects that serve as biological controls of pests, are being lost in large and economically-unsustainable numbers.
For more information on how you can contact the Governor’s Office, go to the Pure Waters Association’s website.
