Dear NJAISA members and affiliates.
Please read the message below from The New Jersey Green Industry Council. This legislation would affect how we are able to treat trees and woody plants for invasive insects and has cleared most of the hurdles on the way to becoming state law.
NJGIC Member Alert (Neonic)
SPRING IS HERE AND SO IS A CALL TO ACTION TO SAVE NEONICS
As we continue to represent the interests of New Jersey’s professional applicators in negotiations to keep neonicotinoid insecticides available as an important tool, we have come to a point where it is the actions of New Jersey residents, workers, and business owners that will carry the most weight.
It is important to remember that we are not looking to stop this bill or vote it down. We are looking to amend the bill in order to allow for the continued use by trained licensed applicators in New Jersey. We feel that the legislation as written goes above and beyond what is currently agreed upon by science and unfairly discriminates against New Jersey’s Green Industry, while allowing continued unchecked use in agriculture and specified home uses.
We have been working with GCSAA and NALP to craft email campaigns that will quickly and easily let your local legislators know this is a topic you are concerned about. These links are shared below and I urge you to take a minute and fill out the form of the message that best relates to your business. You may also receive the link directly through a national association if you are registered on their mailing list.
To start the campaign, we are targeting our message to a short list of Assembly Members who we feel have the most influence regarding the issue. These are leaders in the Assembly who need to know that neonics are an important tool and removing access to these materials is both bad for business and will not have the environmental effects legislators have been promised.
If you are willing to go above and beyond for your Industry, please directly contact your local legislator and tell them in person (or from a safe social distance via phone or virtually) why this bill as written does not work for the Green Industry. The list of targeted legislators, their contact information and district, as well as a list of talking points can be found below.
The current email links will only work if you live or work within one of the targeted members' districts. Once we feel our message is getting heard, we will open the email campaign to reach all members of the State Assembly, where the bill will next be up for a vote. I urge everyone to at least take the time to fill out one of the email campaigns. Your actions will make the difference in deciding if neonics will be used in New Jersey moving forward.
If you have any questions, please reach out to NJGIC’s Executive Director Buddy Freund at buddy@njgic.org. Thank you as always for your support.
Best,
Keith Bennett, CGCS
President, NJGIC
Assembly Sponsors and Co-Sponsors of A-2070
Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (D) Sponsor (201) 943-0615 District 36: (Bergen and Passaic) Carlstadt, Cliffside Park, East Rutherford, Little Ferry, Lyndhurst, Moonachie, North Arlington, Passaic, Ridgefield, Ridgefield Park, Rutherford, South Hackensack, Teterboro, Wallington, Wood-Ridge
Assemblyman Raj Mukherji (D) Sponsor (201) 626-4000 District 33: (Hudson) Hoboken, Jersey City, Union City, Weehawken
Assemblyman Daniel Benson (D) Sponsor (609) 631-0198 District 14: (Mercer and Middlesex) Cranbury, East Windsor, Hamilton (Mercer), Hightstown, Jamesburg, Monroe (Middlesex), Plainsboro, Robbinsville, Spotswood
Assemblyman Gordon Johnson (D) Co-sponsor (201) 530-0469 District 37: (Bergen) Alpine, Bogota, Cresskill, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee, Hackensack, Leonia, Northvale, Palisades Park, Rockleigh, Teaneck, Tenafly
Assemblyman Herb Conaway Jr. (D) Co-sponsor (856) 461-3997 District 7: (Burlington) Beverly, Bordentown, Bordentown Township, Burlington, Burlington Township, Cinnaminson, Delanco, Delran, Edgewater Park, Fieldsboro, Florence, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Palmyra, Riverside, Riverton, Willingboro
Assemblyman Thomas Giblin(D) Co-sponsor (973) 779-3125 District 34: (Essex and Passaic) Clifton, East Orange, Montclair, Orange
Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D) Co-sponsor (973) 762-1886 District 27: (Essex and Morris) Caldwell, Chatham Township, East Hanover, Essex Fells, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Livingston, Madison, Maplewood, Millburn, Roseland, South Orange, West Orange
Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D) Co-sponsor (732) 247-3999 District 17: (Middlesex and Somerset) Franklin (Somerset), Milltown, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Piscataway
Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D) Co-sponsor (609) 571-9638 District 15: (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset) Branchburg, Delaware, Flemington, Hillsborough, Manville, Millstone (Somerset), Montgomery, Princeton, Raritan (Hunterdon), Readington, Rocky Hill, Somerville, South Brunswick, Stockton
Talking Points: Environmental Issues With Neonic Restrictions
The current available alternative does not have the same efficacy on tree and ornamental insects..
The current data does not support banning the use of neonicotinoids. Most state more research is needed to fully understand any environmental implications that might be present.
The EPA is currently performing an extensive review of many neonicotinoid insecticides including: imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, and acetamiprid. The planned completion date of the review is in 2021 at which time the EPA will pursue risk mitigation.
The bee population in NJ is doing well with the biggest issues in our state being attributed to the varroa destructor. Many hive losses are also attributed to the high rate of hobbyists who are not as diligent as commercial beekeepers at protecting their hives from the pest.
https://research.beeinformed.org/reports/state_reports/state_report/?year=2018&state=NJ
https://research.beeinformed.org/reports/state_reports/state_report/?year=2017&state=NJ
New Jersey has one of the most strict pollinator protection laws in place, with regulations requiring licensed applicators contact beekeepers prior to an application of a pesticide labeled to negatively affect bees.
The industry supports the formation of a Healthy Pollinator Task Force whose purpose would be to look at pollinators in NJ and determine not only their state of well-being, but steps that should be taken to ensure health and prosperity in the State. A bill forming a Task Force was passed in the State Assembly and held up in the State Senate.
Neonicotinoid insecticides were developed and utilized for their high mammalian safety factor and target specificity.
Certified Pesticide Applicators are using neonics professionally and responsibly, utilizing Integrated Pest Management plans and only applying products to targeted plants.
Written Best Management Practices have been outlined by the State Golf Course Superintendents Association (GCSANJ) and detail steps to take to insure applications are made in a responsible manner cognizant of the health of the surrounding pollinators and environment.
https://issuu.com/gcsanj/docs/new_jersey_best_management_practices_for_golf_cour
Many of the products used in the Green Industry are in a granular formation that do not come in contact with pollinators and are not even required to have pollinator warnings on the label.
Neonicotinoids are used to protect native trees such as Ash and Hemlock from harmful invasive species. They are also proving to be very useful against the Spotted Lantern Fly as it continues to spread across the state.
The use of curative methods to control pest outbreaks will focus mainly on older less targeted chemistry and have a higher toxicity to non-target organisms.
Turf applications present the lowest risk of both runoff and impact to pollinators of any outdoor usage of neonicotinoids yet are the only uses targeted by this bill.
Turf applications also are one of the smallest use categories in terms of either acres treated or pounds of product applied.
The proposed neonicotinoid bill has the exact opposite effect on the Environment when looking at Post Emergent Grub Control. According to Cornell University, Dylox, one of the few options available if the ban goes into effect, has an Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) of 307. Arena has an EIQ of 31.0. Arena has a 90% more favorable EIQ then the product we will be forced to use.
Talking Points: Economical issues with Neonic Restrictions
One of the more common species infesting turf Popillia japonica (Japanese beetle) was estimated in 2000 to cause over $234 million in annual economic damage
USDA/APHIS, 2000. Managing the Japanese Beetle. A Homeowner's Handbook.
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov,cic_text/housing/japanese-beetle/jbeetle.html
Adjusted for inflation, the 2021 cost would be ~$355 million
A single preventive spring application of imidacloprid can provide effective season-long control of multiple white grub species.
The current price of the alternative is as much as 10x the current price of neonic.
Generic or alternate forms of the current alternative will NOT be available on the market for at least a few years. If other alternatives are brought to market, they will not be generic options and there is no reason to believe that prices will drop significantly.
Forcing small businesses to shoulder the higher cost will negatively affect the employees they are able to maintain.
Multi-year contracts that have been agreed upon for the yearly maintenance of commercial and residential properties are based on currently available chemistries. The sudden removal of products from the market will make it difficult for small businesses to
Neonicotinoid treatment of hardwoods & conifers is valuable for the control of a number of highly destructive wood boring or invasive insects that cause billions of dollars of damage to forests, natural resources, & urban property values.
Imidacloprid is one of the only chemical treatments that can provide long term control of invasive insects such as:
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/pdfs/HWA-FHTET2014-05.pdf
Emerald ash borer http://www.emeraldashborer.info/documents/Multistate_EAB_Insecticide_Fact_Sheet.pdf
Asian Long Horned Beetle https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/plant_health/2016/faq-albtreatments.pdf
For general landscape ornamental applications, imidacloprid has a high degree of effectiveness & utility.
Broad effectiveness against common pests: aphids, leafhoppers, leafminers, mealybugs, psyllids, scales & whiteflies
Usefulness for controlling critical invasive & emergent pests including: Asian citrus psyllid, Japanese beetle, glassy winged sharpshooter & silverleaf whitefly
The systemicity of imidacloprid allows for soil & drench applications that reduce: - off target movement from drift - total applications per season to control pests - non-target exposure to pesticides such as pyrethroids, organophosphates, carbamates & others that would have to be applied more frequently as foliar sprays
The presence of a the EPA “Bee Box” & other label language clearly communicates the hazard of imidacloprid to bees & provides guidelines for effective pollinator protection
Additional benefits for the use of imidacloprid in turf & ornamentals can be found at the comprehensive reviews housed at www.growingmatters.org Some key topics are summarized by the fact sheets below: