Montpelier, VT – Yesterday, Governor Phil Scott vetoed Bill H.706, which would have banned the use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds in the state. 

Reacting to the veto, Consumer Choice Center Senior Policy Analyst Bill Wirtz, who testified before the Vermont Senate Committee on Agriculture in April said:

“Governor Scott made the right call vetoing this legislation. We have warned extensively against banning essential seed treatments that prevent insect attacks on farmer’s crops, not merely to protect the financial viability of farming businesses, but also to protect consumer purchasing power.”

Neonicotinoid ban proposals have been spreading across the United States, most recently passed into law in New York with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature on the ill-conceived “Birds and Bees Act”. The legislation cracks down on these essential crop treatments in the name of protecting pollinator populations, despite bees being at record numbers in the U.S. 

“It is important to protect pollinators, but as both we and Governor Scott have pointed out, pollinator numbers are actually on the rise. Banning an EPA-approved crop protection method for political purposes, without the necessary scientific backing, would have hurt Vermont farmers and consumers alike,” said Wirtz.

“Vermont is on track to remain an agricultural powerhouse that not only produces for its own consumption but exports throughout the United States and abroad. Policymakers in Montpelier must stay focused on creating the conditions for farmers to thrive and tune out the radical activists who disregard science,” concluded Wirtz, “The future is bright for Vermont’s farms.”