Viewpoint: With only 4% of New York farmland organic, why is the state letting this narrow special interest group dictate crop protection policy for all farmers?

deborah glick speaks at rally for birds and bees bill on may in state capitol photo by zach w
Credit: Zach Williams/NY Post

Farmers in New York State face a [difficult] situation today due to rising cases of pest infestation, adverse weather events, and a dip in commodity prices. The state needs to do its utmost not to let bad farming conditions cascade into even greater catastrophe. However, it has failed in that responsibility.

A new bill passed by the NY legislature and signed by Gov. Hochul on Dec. 22 is set to add major headaches for farmers and consumers alike. In June, lawmakers passed the Birds and Bees Protection Act, which would ban the use of neonicotinoid insecticides in the state. The NY Senate bill alleges that this would protect pollinators, despite the absence of evidence that bees are hurt by the use of these crop protection chemicals.

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There are ideological priorities at work here. A set of activists in the state and beyond oppose any type of chemical crop protection [or pesticide] use, and seek any opportunity to ban it. A recent open letter to Gov. Hochul says as much — signed by 100 growers, almost all of whom are organic growers, calling for her to sign the bill. While it is the prerogative of those growers to abstain from conventional crop protection, they should not get to undermine the choices of other growers and of the consumers who buy the products. As a reminder, only 4% of NY state farmland is organic. While higher than the 0.6% national number, it still represents a priority for only a small number of growers.

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