Colorado Has a Toxic Neonics Problem—and a Path to Recovery

These days, neonicotinoid (neonic) pollution literally touches us all—through water, food, and soil—and as a leader in healthy soil and pollinator protection, Colorado is well positioned to tackle this toxic problem head-on. Neonics threaten both ground-dwelling bugs that are essential to soil health and flying insects that we depend on for pollination. Colorado’s innovative programs and incentives provide farmers with crucial technical and financial support to shift practices in the right direction. But chemical giants will continue to push these harmful and costly chemicals on farmers unless the state takes direct action to limit unnecessary use and expand seed options. 

Neonic seed coatings are harmful and often unnecessary 

Neonic seed coatings are the number one source of neonic pollution, threatening soil health and biodiversity across the country. Because most of these coatings do not get absorbed by the target plant, the chemicals stay in the soil, where they kill pest predators (i.e., “good bugs”) and earthworms and can harm beneficial soil bacteria needed for plant growth. The residual neonics also build up over time and travel long distances, contaminating new soil, plants, and water supplies.   

The scale of the threats posed by neonic pollution cannot be overstated: Just one neonic-coated corn seed can contain enough active ingredient to kill a quarter of a million bees or a small songbird—and there are typically 30,000 seeds planted on just one acre. With millions and millions of acres of field crops in the United States, insect collapse (a leading contributor to what some have called an “insect apocalypse”) is a predictable consequence, from bees and other pollinators to insects that are critical to soil health.  

Worse yet, while neonic seed coatings cost farmers money, they typically fail to boost bottom lines. According to extensive research and real-world experience, seed treatments on corn, soybean, wheat, and other grain crops—the vast majority of their use—provide no economic benefits for farmers. Yet, use of these coatings remains widespread; they are the default option that’s pushed hard by seed and chemical companies, which can make it challenging for farmers to break away.  

Colorado supports healthy environments for beneficial bugs 

Colorado has invested deeply in promoting healthy soil in recent years. Its Soil Health Program provides financial and technical assistance to producers, and a new Agricultural Stewardship Tax Credit (HB24-1249) incentivizes farming and ranching in ways that protect the environment. In addition, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) has played an important role in expanding programs that reward ecosystem services.  

The state has also stepped up for pollinators. Colorado’s recent Native Pollinating Insects Health Study identifies causes of declining pollinating insects in the state, with pesticides listed as one of the top five major drivers of losses. A new law that officially defines bees as part of the state’s wildlife spurred the inclusion of bees and other invertebrates in Colorado’s latest State Wildlife Action Plan, which will soon address threats to invertebrates and actions to counter those threats.  

Crucially, CDA has begun to recognize that reducing the use of neonic-treated seed is essential for healthy soil and pollinator protection. The Agricultural Stewardship Tax Credit supports adoption of practices that increase soil health, improve water efficiency, or create more diverse and beneficial ecosystems while maintaining productivity. Neonics threaten both soil health and biodiversity, so avoiding these chemicals where they’re not needed meets several of the tax credit’s goals. In response to public comments (including from NRDC) to that end, CDA added the use of corn, wheat, and soybean seeds without harmful neonic coatings to the list of “qualified stewardship practices” eligible for the tax credit starting next year.  

Colorado can’t fully protect soil and pollinators without eliminating unnecessary neonic use  

The state's support for soil health and biodiversity is an important step away from the overuse of neonic coatings. Neonics have been found in Colorado's rivers and groundwater—sometimes at 100 times the levels known to harm aquatic ecosystems—so the need for reductions is urgent. However, neonic-coated seeds remain the default option for major field crops like corn, and incentives alone are not enough to ensure safer options are available for all farmers and to stop the widespread neonic pollution that is poisoning the state.  

Fortunately, there’s a proven approach to expanding seed options for farmers and significantly reducing neonic pollution. New flexible “need-based” models ensure that neonic-treated seed is only used where it’s really needed. For example, in Québec, farmers may use neonic-treated seeds if they have a written recommendation from an agronomist confirming that the neonic seed coating is needed to address a specific pest problem. When Québec’s program was implemented, nearly all corn seeds and more than half of soybean seeds were coated with neonics. Since then, neonic use on these seeds has dropped to nearly zero. Québec’s seed market has also opened up: Seeds without neonic coatings are now readily available, which gives farmers more options for promoting healthy soils and protecting pollinators. States like New York and Vermont have passed similar laws that will be implemented in the next several years.  

To stay on the leading edge of soil and pollinator protection, it’s time for Colorado to take the next step in its agricultural stewardship legacy and stand up to the chemical industry by ending unnecessary uses of harmful neonics.