Last month on Connections, we discussed a proposed bill in the New York State Legislature that would limit the use of neonic pesticides. The Birds and the Bees Protection Act would ban the use of neonicotinoids in seed coating and ornamental plants. Research shows the use of these neurotoxic pesticides have led to mass losses of birds, bees, and other wildlife, and experts say they can impact human health. Some farmers and groups representing them say there’s another side to the story. They oppose the proposed ban and say neonics bring value to their work.
This hour, we discuss the use of neonic pesticides in agriculture with farmers on different sides of the issue. Our guests:
- Brian Reeves, farmer in Baldwinsville and president of the New York State Vegetable Growers Association
- David DeGolyer, executive consultant at WNY Crop Management Association
- Klaas Martens, organic farmer near Penn Yan; member of the board of directors for the Soil Health Institute, the American Farmland Trust, the Farm Foundation, and the Yates County Soil Conservation District
