Save our Vermont wild bees. Support VT Bill 706: ban on nemonic-treated seeds

Abbreviated message: 

Please consider sending our legislators a letter of support for VT bill 706, which will prohibit the sale, distribution, or use of any neonicotinoids-treated seed for corn, soy, and other cereal grains unless a pest threat warranting use is established.

One of the United Nations goals for sustainable development for biodiversity protection is titled ‘Ecosystem and biodiversity’ which states that up until the year 2030 losses of biodiversity and habitat losses must diminish and the prevention of species extinction must occur. 

“Vermont’s goals can be anchored in the UN goal by taking measures to prevent or stop actions that inhibit or are grievously detrimental to a rich plant and animal diversity’ in Vermont.

Bill S.706 is such a measure.

“The VT bill would help provide a safer habitat for pollinators in many agricultural landscapes. Vermont should consider this bill as part-measure towards a goal that by the year 2030, the habitats for pollinators in Vermont should not have deteriorated; the abundance of Vermont's 350+ wild bee species should have increased, without any further VT wild bee extinctions, and less than 10% of honeybees will die during the winter.

“Let us find a way to assist farmers and not destroy the pollinators we and the agricultural growers rely on by using science towards the goal of rich plant and animal diversity.

“Protect our pollinators to protect us all.”

Full Letter: 

Hello Vt state Legislatures, I am writing to urge you to support S.706, Bill 706 which will prohibit the sale, distribution, or use of any neonicotinoids-treated seed for corn, soy, and other cereal grains unless a pest threat warranting use is established. 

The goals set by the United Nations for sustainable development are important for biodiversity protection. One of these goals is number 15 titled ‘Ecosystem and biodiversity’ which states that up until the year 2030 losses of biodiversity and habitat losses must diminish and the prevention of species extinction must occur. However, countries that agreed to these goals have not yet done enough.

Vermont’s goals can be anchored in the UN goal by taking measures to prevent or stop actions that inhibit or are grievously detrimental to ‘A rich plant and animal diversity’ in Vermont. Bill 706 is such a measure.

“The VT bill would help provide a safer habitat for pollinators in many agricultural landscapes. Vermont should consider this bill as part-measure towards a goal that by the year 2030, the habitats for pollinators in Vermont should not have deteriorated; the abundance of Vermont's 350+ wild bee species should have increased, without any further VT wild bee extinctions, and less than 10% of honeybees will die during the winter.

A recent report by the Vermont Center for EcoStudies (VCE) states, “Over 350 wild bee species call Vermont home, but 55 of those species urgently need conservation action.

There is a very large body of peer-reviewed research now concerning the detrimental effects of neonicotinoids on bumble bees and other pollinators. Sublethal effects from feeding on pollen and nectar include lower reproduction rates, reduced navigation abilities, poor foraging behavior, less successful pollination, and reduced immune function. All of these may lead to lower reproductive output or failure.

Neonicotinoids can be sprayed onto foliage or applied as soil drenches but are predominantly used as seed treatments. When used in this manner, neonicotinoids are taken up by all parts of the plant as it grows. This means these systemic insecticides are present in pollen and nectar that pollinators can come in contact with when foraging. In addition, they have been found on nearby flowers, and in waterways, and persist in the soil. However, under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), seed coating gets a free pass with a regulatory loophole that allows seeds coated with chemicals to be considered ’treated articles’ rather than pesticides. The use of pesticides in this manner is not tracked. But some estimates find that in Vermont >99% of all neonicotinoid pesticide use is in the form of seed coating.” (Bold is my emphasis.)

Pollinating insects such as wild bees, butterflies, and flies are declining in numbers worldwide (IPBES, 2016). An estimated 33% of all vertebrate species are considered threatened or endangered. Research has shown devastating population declines in some groups of bees, reaching as high as 96% (Cameron et al. 2011).

It is approximated that between 80-90% of all flowering plants depend on pollination by animals (Ollerton et al., 2011).

Hung et al. (2018) showed in a comparative study from 2018 that the honeybee Apis mellifera is a frequent visitor to only a minority of insect-pollinated plant species despite their high abundance and global distribution. It is important to maintain a diverse population of wild pollinators to ensure stable pollination for the majority of flowering plants in natural habitats. (Hung et al., 2018).

Apart from their importance within the agricultural sector, insects are at the base of the food chain and are a major part of the diets of birds, fish, and small mammals. Therefore, their decline will directly affect the ecosystems and will likely put the whole balance of life out of order on Earth (Potts et al., 2016; Silva et al., 2021).

This quote by Douglas Adams perhaps strikes even closer to home. “ We are not an endangered species ourselves yet, but this is not for lack of trying.”

“Let us find a way to assist farmers and not destroy the pollinators we and the agricultural growers rely on by using science towards the goal of rich plant and animal diversity.

Protect our pollinators to protect us all.

 

Bernie Paquette

Jericho, Vermont