On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency will conduct a listening session on pollinator health issues for stakeholders in the agriculture industry. ASA is requesting those farmers with direct, tangible success stories regarding the use of neonicotinoid pesticides join on the call to share their experiences and explain how this technology has been beneficial in their soybean operations. ASA Treasurer Richard Wilkins will attend the meeting in person; however, we encourage any other farmers with successful experiences with neonicotinoids to join on the call.

Monday, Nov. 17

1 p.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST

Call in:      866-299-3188

Password:  703-308-8200#

The official notice on the listening session is attached. Also, we remind states that written comments on the issue of neonicotinoids and pollinator health are due Nov. 24. Comments may be submitted online at www.regulations.gov, EPA docket number EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0806.

The Environmental Protection Agency released an analysis earlier this month contending that neonicotinoid seed treatments do not contribute to improving soybean yield. On the contrary, ASA has heard from our farmers, especially in our northern and mid-south growing regions, that they are, in fact, seeing benefits from the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments. We have also heard this from our partners at land grant research institutions in those regions.

But EPA needs to hear these success stories as well. Following the release of the study, EPA has opened a 60-day comment period on its analysis, which can be viewed by clicking here. We encourage all soybean farmers that have experienced success in the form of yield increases through the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments to share their stories in the form of comments to EPA.

Comments can be submitted through the Regulations.gov portal by clicking here. Additionally, our technology partners at Bayer CropScience, Syngenta and Valent USA have unveiled an online educational resource to learn more about the science behind neonicotinoids here.