Agriculture and Food
It is difficult to quantify neonics use in Connecticut because of a state database which does not allow searching for individual pesticides. Even if this information were available, it would be incomplete because neonics used as seed coatings for corn and other row crops are not recognized as pesticides due to a policy established by the EPA.
Neonicotinoids are used for a large variety of agricultural production crops in Connecticut such as vegetables, pome and stone fruits, corn, potato, sugar beet, wheat, and soybean among other crops. In the United States, clothianidin and imidacloprid are the most commonly used neonicotinoids in agriculture. They are used to protect against a wide variety of insect pests and are applied in various ways, spray, soil drench, and seed coatings. They were developed in the 1990’s as a safer alternative to older classes of pesticides such as organo-phosphates.
However, even though neonics had been tested and approved by the EPA, a number of problems were identified once neonics became a popular resource for farmers and nursery growers.
Neonics are Found in Our Food
Because neonics cannot be washed off produce, it is reasonable to assume that neonics may be found in the fruits and vegetables that we eat. In fact, a recent study found 72% of fruits and 45% of vegetables tested had multiple neonicotinoids. These percentages included 5 of 8 apples, which were detected with three different neonicotinoids, and 6 of 10 fruits and 5 of 11 vegetables were positive for two neonicotinoids.
Toxicity to Bees
A very small amount of the various neonics is extremely toxic to bees and other pollinators. In fact, they are approximately 7,000 times more acutely toxic to honeybees than the infamous pesticide DDT from Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. Since most agricultural crops require pollination by insects, applying neonics to crops may be self-defeating, as well as being a driver of bee decline.
Neonics are Systemic
This means that they are found throughout the whole plant including the leaves, flowers, pollen, etc. This makes it a good insecticide for target insects but creates problems for beneficial insects and the resulting food crop which contains neonics which cannot be washed off or otherwise eliminated.
Neonics are Persistent
They do not break down easily and can accumulate in soils, degrading the soil (neonics are toxic to earthworms) and further allowing for runoff and contamination of water courses.
Prophylactic Use
Seed coatings are an example of prophylactic use, applying a pesticide in anticipation of an insect problem which may or may not appear. As for coated corn seeds, it has been shown that only a small percentage (about 5%) actually gets to the seedling. The rest is washed into the soil or released into the air through drift. Also, it has been documented that using coated seeds results in no economic benefit to the farmer.