To the editor:

Bees need us.  They are being killed by neurotoxins called neonicotinoids (neonics for short).  Just one neonic-treated corn seed has enough active ingredients to kill 250,000 bees.  

When neonics in treated corn and soybean seeds became more toxic, bee die off increased.  As with mercury and lead, there are no known safe levels for these chemicals and they are in our soil, water and increasingly, in us.  They sterilize the soil and cannot be removed from water.

We need bees. Loss of bees means less food, more expensive food and fewer choices.  Farmers have recently cut back on apple, cherry and blueberry crops due to an insufficient number of bees to pollinate.

The New York Birds and Bees Protection Act (A7429A/S699D) would eliminate 80-90% of these neonics that are killing pollinators.  It does allow continued use to combat the wooly adelgid and other invasive species and it allows a farmer who couldn’t access untreated seeds to use it. 

Quebec and Ontario phased out most neonic-treated crop seeds; Maine and New Jersey banned neonics in gardens.  This past July, France banned pesticide use in all private and public areas.  The good news is that New York State passed the act with bi-partisan support in both state houses, but not in the same year as required.

Bees need us. Please call our state legislators to support a renewed New York Birds and Bees Protection Act during the 2023 session.  Remember, this act protects us too!

Depending on your district this means calling either Michelle Hinchey (845)331-3810 and Sarahana Shrestha (845)658-0274 or Mike Martucci (518)455-2400 and Brian Miller (845)895-1080.

Doris Chorny

Wallkill