State of the States

Sometimes in the world of governmental affairs, it’s what doesn’t happen that is most significant.  This past year was a prime example. With the large majority of 2022 state legislative sessions adjourned for the summer, it’s a good opportunity to look back at which legislative proposals did—and didn’t—make the final cut.

One proposal that came very close to passing was New York Assembly Bill #7429 and its companion Senate Bill #699. Both bills would have banned neonic pesticides in the state, making New York the first state to do so. How close did it come to passing? Both houses passed similar versions of the bill, with the Senate eventually agreeing to the Assembly language. This placed the bill in line for a “call” to send it to the Governor for official signature; but for whatever reason, that “call” never came.

Overall, ASTA flagged and tracked 185 bills across the country, most with a focus on seed treatments, pesticides, and pollinators. Here are some highlights:

PASSED:

• Vermont passed H.626 requiring the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets, after consultation with the Agricultural Innovation Board, to adopt by rule best management practices (BMPs) for the use of neonicotinoid treated article seeds in the State. The Ag Innovation Board was formed in the 2021 legislative session to create a more holistic approach to pesticide management and policymaking in the state.
• The Kansas legislature passed a rewrite of the state seed law, with details too numerous to list here. The Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) played a pivotal role in maneuvering changes to make the bill acceptable to industry and regulatory officials. Kudos to KARA for a job well done.
• Indiana passed legislation to make housekeeping changes to its state seed law, including fee adjustments.

FAILED TO PASS:

• In Minnesota, a bill that ultimately didn’t get far in the process was designed to add grass seed to the “qualifying agricultural products” designation.
• A bill in Illinois, that passed the House but didn’t move in the Senate, would have banned pretreated seeds from use in the production of ethanol.
• Tennessee SJR 861 attempted to declare the right to save and exchange all seeds “of their choosing.” The state legislature also heard a bill introduced to ban neonics. Neither got very far in the legislative process.
• In Nebraska, a bill that would have changed testing requirements for select native seeds came close to passing in the previous session but didn’t advance at all this year.