Last year, Vermont became just the second state in the nation to ban a type of pesticides called neonicotinoids. Now, that ban is going into effect.

Many farmers use these treated seeds to keep pests away, but pollutes water and hurts fragile pollinator populations, like honey bees. The Vermont state government is in charge of enforcing this ban. It also has a role in determining exemptions. Who still gets to use neonics, and under what conditions? We’ll hear how the state is making those choices, using information from local farms. We’ll also learn about other neonics restrictions in Quebec and New York.