Vermont Takes on Neonics

This week, the Vermont legislature voted on HB626 which in its original form would ban the use of neonics in the state. The NEPMA has been involved with this bill since the beginning and did a tremendous job advocating our concerns on the bill to lawmakers. Throughout the legislative process there was much debate surrounding the use of neonics in the state. On May 12th, lawmakers decided on an amendment that would require the state Secretary of Agriculture to develop BMPs (best management practices) regarding the agricultural use of neonics (exempting our industry) in the state. The bill would also require at least 30 days prior to prefiling a proposed rule, that the Secretary must submit a copy of the draft rule to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry for review. The bill now heads to the Governor for his signature. A huge win for our industry and yet another example of the strength we have to impact change when we utilized our collective voice.