{"id":6934,"date":"2025-06-16T15:22:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T19:22:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pirg.org\/florida\/articles\/states-that-are-doing-the-most-to-save-pollinators\/"},"modified":"2025-06-16T15:22:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T19:22:50","slug":"states-that-are-doing-the-most-to-save-pollinators","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/pirg.org\/florida\/articles\/states-that-are-doing-the-most-to-save-pollinators\/","title":{"rendered":"States that are doing the most to save pollinators"},"featured_media":52846,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":""},"campaign_tax":[],"display_option":[],"issue_tax":[],"person_tax":[],"region_tax":[],"state":[2],"topic_tax":[144,160],"class_list":["post-6934","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"details":{"helper_taxonomies":{"topics":[160,227,144],"collection":false,"press_type":false,"person_type":false,"resource_type":false,"event_type":false,"campaigns":241,"department":false,"level":false,"states":[2],"act_option":false,"display_option":false,"primary":{"topic":160}},"featured_image":52846,"caption_override":"","excerpt":"In a sampling of states, including key leaders, some stand out for restricting neonics and enhancing pollinator habitat. ","updated_on":null,"sidebar_action":[],"hide_hero_image":false,"sidebar_action_query_string":""},"helper_people_group":{"title":"Authors","entities":[{"type":"dynamic","dynamic_person":{"site":2,"people":"1027"},"information":{"name":"","image":null,"role":"","biography":"","contact":{"twitter":"","facebook":"","email":"","phone":""}}}]},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"It\u2019s National Pollinator Week (June 22-25). Like a five-eyed bee, we\u2019re taking a close look at what the states are doing to protect pollinators. We're doing a deeper dive on 15 states. The information from this article comes from a <\/span>longer snapshot<\/span><\/a> of state actions to protect pollinators.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCertain challenges to the data held us back from putting out something as precise as a grade. For instance, there aren't complete databases that aggregate the information, and administrative and agency actions are especially hard to find. But overall we can get a picture of the states leading the way.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n

Which states did we include for this comparison?<\/h3>\r\nIn this article, we look at the states that have restricted pollinator-killing pesticides called neonics, plus we include sampling of other states that have enhance habitat for pollinators. Overall, the states we\u2019re looking at here are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n

Why focus on the states?\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\r\nStates have been at the forefront of addressing the loss of bees, butterflies and other pollinators, in particular when it comes to restricting neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides closely linked to bee and butterfly declines. The federal government has mostly lagged, but it does have a valuable <\/span>grants program<\/span><\/a> to fund states that plant pollinator-friendly vegetation along roadways.<\/span>","":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_image_grid","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_image_grid":{"images":[{"image":50137,"caption_override":"Butterflies pollinate"},{"image":50052,"caption_override":"Bats pollinate"},{"image":58949,"caption_override":"Beetles pollinate"},{"image":53768,"caption_override":"Bees are nature's best pollinators"}]}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Which states have done the most to save pollinators from neonics?\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\r\nTwelve states<\/span><\/a> have restricted the sale of neonics, adopting policies to make neonics a \u201crestricted use\u201d pesticide, meaning that most of us can\u2019t get our hands on the stuff \u2014 one would need to have a pesticide applicator\u2019s permit or license to do so. These states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nTwo states, New York and Vermont, have also restricted the sale and use of neonics on seeds. That\u2019s a really big deal. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that <\/span>80-90%<\/span><\/a> of corn, soybean and cotton seeds are coated with neonics.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nWe also look at <\/span>Minnesota<\/span><\/a> because it's one of two states (<\/span>California<\/span><\/a> is the other) we've\u00a0 identified that has blocked the use of neonics in state wildlife areas and other state lands. After all, wildlife areas <\/span>should be<\/span><\/i> one of the safest places for bees, butterflies, birds and more.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n

Why focus on neonicotinoids?\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\r\nThree of the categories in this analysis are based on actions to limit neonics. That\u2019s intentional. <\/span>\r\n\r\nNeonics kill insects and are closely linked to alarming drops in <\/span>bee<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>butterfly<\/span><\/a> populations. These chemicals also <\/span>damage<\/span><\/a> the brains of young bees, impair navigation skills, weaken immune systems, and might even cause addiction problems (bees grow addicted to pollen laced with neonics).\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nFurther, when coated onto seeds, approximately <\/span>95% of neonics<\/span><\/a> spread and leach into soil and groundwater, creating new and expanded danger zones for pollinators.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n

Habitat for pollinators<\/b><\/h3>\r\nPollinators also need quality habitat and more of it.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThere are all sorts of ways that states have acted to enhance and expand habitat for pollinators. We limited the \u201chabitat category\u201d to two policies: Does a state have a program to prioritize pollinator-friendly habitat along roadsides? And does a state have a policy to plant pollinator-friendly habitat on state government lands? Note that in this last category, the actions by states differ greatly.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCalifornia, Connecticut, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon and Vermont all have pollinator roadside programs.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nAdditionally, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York and Washington have policies to plant pollinator-friendly plants on state lands. <\/span>","":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Which states check the most boxes for saving pollinators?\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\r\nWe chose these 5 boxes to get a window into which states stand out:\u00a0<\/span>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Restrict the sale of neonics\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Restrict the sale of neonic-treated seeds<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Block the use of neonics on state lands\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Plant pollinator-friendly plants along roads\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Plant pollinator-friendly plants on state lands<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nSome states do stand out, but none have adopted the full package of pollinator-friendly actions. There\u2019s room to grow for all of them.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOne state, <\/span>New York<\/b>, has adopted four of the five policies. It<\/span> has restricted the sale of neonics and the use of neonic-treated seeds. It prioritizes native, pollinator-friendly vegetation along roadways, and it has a plan to build and enhance pollinator habitat on state lands.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nFour states have adopted three of the five policies:\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCalifornia<\/b> has restricted the sale of neonics, has blocked the use of neonics on public lands, and has a roadside habitat program.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nConnecticut and Maryland<\/b> have restricted the sale of neonics (they were the first two to do so), have a roadside habitat program, and have a program to plant pollinator habitat on public lands (beyond roads).\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nVermont <\/b>has restricted the sale of neonics and the use of neonic-treated seeds, and it has received federal funding for a roadside habitat program. While it\u2019s unclear how durable the roadside program will be once the federal funds are spent, we are giving Vermont credit.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nSix states have adopted two of the five policies. These states include:\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nColorado and New Jersey<\/b> have restricted the sale of neonics and have roadside pollinator habitat programs.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nMinnesota <\/b>has blocked the use of neonics in state wildlife areas and has a plan to plant pollinator habitat on state lands.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nWashington <\/b>and <\/span>Massachusetts <\/b>have restricted the sale of neonics and have a program to plant pollinator habitat on state lands.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nNew Mexico<\/b> checks both habitat boxes. It has a pollinator habitat roadside program and a pollinator habitat on public lands (beyond roads).\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nFour states have adopted one of the five key steps to save the bees:\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThree of these states \u2013 <\/span>Maine, Nevada <\/b>and <\/span>Rhode Island<\/b> \u2013 have restricted the sale of neonics, arguably one of the harder steps to take.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOne state, <\/span>Oregon, <\/b>has a roadside pollinator habitat plan.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n

    How might the states respond?\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\r\nIt\u2019s our hope that state lawmakers and agency staffers will look at the list and the comparison and see a roadmap of next steps to take. It could entail improving an existing program or creating a new one.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nAlso, individuals who are motivated to save pollinators can ask their lawmakers to do more and can take action in their own <\/span>gardens, yards<\/span><\/a> or apartment balconies by planting native, flowering plants and holding back on the pesticides.\u00a0<\/span>","":null}}]},"yoast_head":"\nStates that are doing the most to save pollinators<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a sampling of states, including key leaders, some stand out for restricting neonics and enhancing pollinator habitat.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pirg.org\/florida\/articles\/states-that-are-doing-the-most-to-save-pollinators\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" 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