New York Poised To Enact Pesticide Ban That Could Be ‘Devastating’ To Farmers

A New York pesticide ban heading to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk could be devastating to farmers and crops throughout the state, according to scientists and farmers.

The Birds and Bees Protection Act, designed to decrease the loss of bees and birds to neonicotinoid pesticides, cleared both houses of the New York State legislature on June 9 and now awaits Hochul’s signature. Some farmers and experts object to the blanket ban, pointing to the devastating effects bans have had on crops in Europe and to the lack of evidence for the claimed damaging effects pesticides have on pollinators like bees.

“The vote to ban an entire class of pesticides and treated seeds is deeply concerning, especially because of the precedent it sets,” the New York Farm Bureau said in a June statement. “The Department of Environmental Conservation and its expertise should maintain the authority to properly review and register risk management tools, something the legislature is stripping away.”