Neonic Alert

Members and Friends,

We are at a critical juncture in New Jersey’s neonicotinoid saga. As you know, there is a bill waiting to be brought up for a vote in the State Assembly that would ban the use of neonics for our industries. There continues to be confusion over this bill and many legislators still believe it to be a simple restricted use bill that will continue to allow licensed professionals access to the materials. We know this is not the case and need to effectively educate legislators to that fact.

Within the next couple days, allied associations will be sending out action alerts where you can quickly and easily reach out to your state representatives in order to share your concern. If you are able, you can even tailor your message in order to make it more personal. It is our goal to see this bill move forward and have neonicotinoid insecticides classified as regular restricted use, allowing all professional licensed applicators the ability to utilize these chemistries as designated by best management practices in an integrated pest management program.

I cannot overstate the importance of taking the time to fill out these alerts as it is imperative that we work together as an industry if we are going to succeed. It only takes minutes and each voice does make a difference. We need to rely on professional scientists employed by the regulatory agencies NJDEP and Federal EPA to decide the safety and risk levels of chemicals on the market and trust them to dictate adjustments, restrictions, and bans based on sound science and facts. Achieving success on the neonicotinoid bill will greatly help us get that message across.

Thank you for your time and for taking action as you are able. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to discuss the issue further.

Best,

Keith Bennett, CGCS
keith.bennett@griturf.com