Last month, around 150 people, plus over 100 virtual attendees, gathered at the Institute for Discovery at UW-Madison to learn about neonicotinoids. We took some deep dives into the science behind these widely used insecticides, which threaten not only the health of pollinators but nature’s interdependent food web.

In addition to their numerous nontarget impacts, we learned how these water-soluble chemicals get into our groundwater, rivers, and drinking water. While the primary use of these pesticides is in agriculture applications (neonics are applied as a pre-treatment for corn and soybean seeds), they can also be found in a variety of lawn care and pet products. 

We also learned that restricting the use of neonics is possible. They have been widely banned in Europe since 2018, and eleven states in the U.S. have restricted their use. Other states are actively working for regulation now. While the legislative process is often bogged down by partisanship, special interests, and the slow speed of change, there is growing momentum to push for regulation in Wisconsin. The neonic forum was a valuable place for all of us to start learning about the threats neonics pose to human and environmental health and possible paths forward.

The forum was a success because of our deep collaboration with many partners, including Trout Unlimited, Clean Wisconsin, WDNR, Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council, DATCP, Black Earth Creek Watershed Association, UW-Division of Extension, and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.

This event was made possible by the Department of Natural Resources Surface Water Grant Program. Please reach out to Ellen Voss, our Climate Resilience Director, if you’d like to learn more and stay connected to others interested in this topic.

– Ellen Voss, Climate Resilience Director

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