Republicans are leery of Governor Mark Dayton’s executive order that aims to reduce farmers’ use of neonicotinoids, chemicals which could harm bees and other pollinators. Minnesota House Agriculture Committee Chairman Paul Anderson from Starbuck says the bottom-line concern of agriculture is that a lot of folks view neo-nics as “a nasty, bad chemical and they want to take it out of our toolbox so we can’t use it anymore. “
Anderson says it’s unclear how far the governor’s executive order can extend. Anderson says legislative action may be necessary if the use of neonicotinoids as a seed treatment is to be reduced. He suggests both sides work together and “come up with solutions that are not detrimental to farming and yet also help the survival rate of bees and pollinators.” Governor Dayton announced the initiative at the State Fair, pointing to the key role pollinators play in Minnesota’s agricultural economy.
Here’s the interview with Anderson: