Pollinator Protection in Vermont:
Managed and native pollinators are important to agriculture. They work on farms pollinating our fruit and vegetable crops. They also provide honey and other bee-related products, adding to Vermont’s agricultural diversity. Nationally and globally, pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and other insects and small mammals are under stress, and in some cases in decline.
Recent Legislative Activities
To address concerns about the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides on pollinators and the environment, the Vermont legislature enacted Act 182 in 2024, titled “An Act Relating to the Regulation of Neonicotinoid Pesticides”. The Act aims to regulate the sale and use of neonicotinoid treated article seeds and neonicotinoid pesticides within Vermont to protect pollinator populations and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Neonicotinoids in Vermont | Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets
Past Legislative Activities
The Agricultural Innovation Board (AIB) was created during the 2021 Legislative Session to provide policy recommendations to lawmakers and the Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. The work of the AIB has recently focused on pollinator protection and potential impact of neonicotinoid treated article seeds and neonicotinoid pesticides: AIB meeting information and materials.
Pollinator Protection Committee Legislative Report February 2017
Act 83- Establishment of the Committee
Agricultural Crops Best Management Practices
Field Corn and Soybean
Field corn and soybeans are grown on more acres than any other crop in the United States and are two of the most widely farmed crops throughout North America. Although honey bees are not essential to corn production, they are commonly found foraging in corn fields, especially in landscapes where other foraging sources are limited. Honey bees are not essential to soybean production, but they commonly visit soybean fields for forage and studies show that pollination results in increased soybean yields. The practices used in corn and soybean farming can affect honey bee health.
The following BMP guidelines provide recommendations to conserve and promote pollinator health for farmers to consider throughout the corn and soybean growing seasons.
Best Management Practices (BMPs) to Protect Honey Bees and Other Pollinators in Soybean Fields
Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Pollinator Protection in Field Corn
Apples:
Apples are an important pollinator-dependent crop grown for commercial production on 295,000 acres in the United States. Pollinator Best Management Practices for Apples provides guidance for U.S. growers and regulators on pollinator protection in orchards.