Protect New York from toxic pesticides killing bees and harming people

Neonics are widely-used pesticides with widespread consequences:

They are a leading cause of mass losses of pollinators (like bees) we depend on for food…¹
And the lack of pollinators has already caused an estimated 3-5% drop in the world’s production of fruit, vegetables, and nuts.²
Not to mention, neonics spread easily in the ecosystem, exposing more than 50% of the U.S. population to neonics on any given day through their drinking water, food, soil, and more.³
Which is bad because neonics are linked to birth defects of the heart and brain, autism-like symptoms, memory loss, finger tremors, and more.⁴

The bottom line is that neonics are dangerous. That’s why we’ve joined forces with our local partners to urge Governor Hochul to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act – which will make New York the leading state prohibiting harmful and needless neonic uses that have devastating consequences for New York’s ecosystems and public health.

Tell Governor Hochul to restrict the use of toxic neonics by signing the first-of-its-kind Birds and Bees Protection Act (A7640/S1856A) into law TODAY.

A young girl eats a strawberry while looking off to the side. Neonics are a health risk. Help us stop their uses.

Neonics are widely-used pesticides with widespread consequences:

They are a leading cause of mass losses of pollinators (like bees) we depend on for food…¹
And the lack of pollinators has already caused an estimated 3-5% drop in the world’s production of fruit, vegetables, and nuts.²
Not to mention, neonics spread easily in the ecosystem, exposing more than 50% of the U.S. population to neonics on any given day through their drinking water, food, soil, and more.³
Which is bad because neonics are linked to birth defects of the heart and brain, autism-like symptoms, memory loss, finger tremors, and more.⁴

CTA

Your Message

Subject Neonics are jeopardizing the health of New Yorkers like me

Dear Governor Hochul,

Message Body

As a New York resident, I urge you to take action to protect our state against toxic neonic insecticides by signing the Birds and Bees Protection Act (A7640/S1856A). 
 
Neonics are one of the most widely used insecticides in New York —with federal and state testing showing neonics contaminate source water all over the state, including roughly 30% of Long Island groundwater samples. Furthermore, a recent CDC study of pregnant women in New York and several other states found over 95% of those tested had neonics in their bodies.
 
That’s a huge problem because exposure to these toxic chemicals is linked to concerning health issues in people, including: 
-Malformation of the developing heart and brain
-Reduced cognitive ability and autism-like symptoms 
-Memory loss and finger tremors 
-Decreased testosterone, which could interfere with growth, development, and reproductive health 
 
While all New Yorkers are at risk, these health threats are most acute for children and pregnant women. 
 
The continued use of neonics is even more baffling considering a report from Cornell University revealed that neonic-treated corn and soybean seeds don’t even improve profits for farmers, but they remain the single largest use of neonics in the state. There’s no need to continue putting the health of New Yorkers on the line.  
 
Signing the Birds and Bees Protection Act into law will make New York THE leading state in addressing a regulatory loophole that has allowed the largest neonic uses to go unchecked with devastating consequences for New York’s ecosystems and public health. 
 
Thank you.

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¹The Bee Informed Team, “United States Honey Bee Colony Losses 2020-2021: Preliminary Results – Bee Informed Partnership,” June 21, 2021, https://beeinformed.org/2021/06/21/united-states-honey-bee-colony-losses-2020-2021-preliminary-results/; Bee Informed Partnership, Colony Loss Map, https://bit.ly/2HpheoW, and select “Annual” under the “Season” menu.

² Matthew R. Smith et al., “Pollinator Deficits, Food Consumption, and Consequences for Human Health: A Modeling Study,” Environmental Health Perspectives 130, no. 12 (December 2022), https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp10947.

³ Maria Ospina et al., “Exposure to Neonicotinoid Insecticides in the U.S. General Population: Data from the 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey,” Environmental Research 176 (June 23, 2019): 108555, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.108555.

⁴Andria Cimino et al., “Effects of Neonicotinoid Pesticide Exposure on Human Health: A Systematic Review,” Environmental Health Perspectives 125, no. 2 (February 2017): 155-162, https://bit.ly/2NVA1LR.