The legislature of Vermont passed Bill H.706 that would have banned the use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds.  This Bill follows passage of a similar law in neighboring New York State entitled the “Birds and Bees Act”.  The intent of the Vermont bill was to limit the use of neonicotinoid systemic insecticides that are known to affect bees and other pollinators. Governor Phil Scott engendered considerable criticism for his veto of the bill.

The agricultural insecticides lobby exemplified by Bill Wirtz claimed that banning the essential seed treatment would be deleterious to farming in the state.  This contention is possibly valid over the short term but with a declining population of pollinators, ultimately crops that rely on bees and other insects that are susceptible to neonicotinoid insecticides, may well limit crops that could be planted and their yields. 

Invoking the interests of consumers and claiming that H.706 would have impacted purchasing power is somewhat fallacious. Wirtz claimed that the proposed ban was politically inspired and lacked scientific backing.  There is growing evidence that neonicotinoid treated seed results in insecticide-contaminated pollen that is ingested by bees and other beneficial insects and is indirectly responsible for the decline in their populations. Neonicotinoid seed treatment is banned in the E.U. but approved by the Environmental Protection Agency provided that the various products are used in accordance with label instructions.