Even at nonlethal doses, neonics can weaken critical functions, such as an insect’s immune system, navigation, stamina, memory, and fertility. Ban neonics now.
Despite years of fighting, we still use many questionable pesticides in crop production. The most dangerous and prolific ones belong to the neonicotinoid (neonics) family. While neonics are not the only risks to pollinators, they are certainly major players. Neonics are a class of powerful neurotoxic pesticides in widespread use in the U.S. Chemically similar to nicotine, they rival the toxicity of DDT, which the EPA banned in 1976. Even at nonlethal doses, neonics can weaken critical functions, such as an insect’s immune system, navigation, stamina, memory, and fertility. We simply must ban neonics now.
In 2015, a field study to see how bees react to neonic-treated seeds. Researchers planted crops they knew would attract bees; treating one portion of the seeds with neonics and the other with fungicide alone.
The EPA approved neonics for crops in the 1990s based on evidence they were safe for Honey bees. However, Bumble bee activity slowed and produced fewer queens, which meant fewer future Bumbles, Shockingly, solitary bees completely disappeared from neonic-treated areas. The question is, where did they go?
Despite a 2015 study, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waited until May 5, 2023, to release a draft assessment (its second in two years) that found three neonicotinoid insecticides likely harm roughly 75% of all endangered species.
Farmers buy neonic-treated seeds, accounting for ninety-five percent of neonic use. The chemicals enter our ecosystem in three ways.
We might get excited about the EPA’s move to action many years after the massive research project in 2015. However, in 2023, we merely have an assessment generated because of a 2017 court order resulting from a case filed by The Center for Food Safety and other pollinator advocates in 2013.
There are a lot of players in the pesticide game and money lies at the root of the reluctance to end the use of dangerous chemicals. Pesticide companies wield massive marketing machines to ensure farmers continue to use their products while employing lobbyists to influence Congress to keep their chemicals legal. These lobbyists occupy Senate and House offices, arguing for the importance of pesticides to the food supply chain. A seemingly endless budget and a web of connections empower them. These resources have allowed them to block resolution of this critical issue, despite over a decade of efforts to end the use of neonicotinoids.
Make your voice heard! Vote for representatives who prioritize environmental protection. Write your current representatives and urge them to investigate the dangers of neonicotinoids. Remember, many rely on lobbyists for information. Share the facts with them and demand action to protect our ecosystems.
