Bill > S07400

This bill provides for best practices and management policies, and increased awareness regarding the protection of the pollinator population in the state. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Defining the "pollinator protection plan" as the plan adopted by the Department of Agriculture and Markets and the Department of Environmental Conservation in June 2016, and subsequent updates. 2. Requiring the use of "best management practices," including those prescribed by an integrated pest management program, by all parties whose activities may impact pollinators, such as beekeepers, landowners, growers, and pesticide users. 3. Mandating the development of communication protocols to increase communication between beekeepers, farmers, growers, and pesticide applicators, including education and outreach. 4. Directing the Department of Agriculture and Markets, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Conservation and the state's land grant university, to develop best management practices for minimizing the airborne liberation of insecticide dust from treated seeds and its effects on pollinators. 5. Ensuring public access to the best management practices on the Department of Agriculture and Markets' website. 6. Requiring the review and update of the best management practices in the pollinator protection plan, either during the plan's updates or every five years if the plan is not updated. The bill aims to provide additional guidance and strengthen the protection of New York's pollinator population, which is critical for the environment and the state's agricultural industries.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S7400