The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA) in Connecticut is proud to present Dr. Scott McArt, an associate professor of pollinator health in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University. The March 25 meeting is in person and our speaker will be joining us in person as well. There is not an option for participants to join virtually. Please join us at 7 PM to allow time to socialize and chat with other members of the club. Our live speaker presentation will begin at 7:30 PM.
The location is Norfield Congregational Church located at 64 Norfield Rd in Weston, CT. Even though the event is free and open to the public, please register at https://backyardbeekeepers.com.
In August 2018, with funding provided through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund to research potential adverse impacts of pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, Cornell began developing a risk-benefit analysis of neonicotinoid insecticide usage in New York State with the following three goals: 1) Estimate the pest control and plant protection benefits of neonicotinoid insecticides under current usage, 2) Estimate the risk from neonicotinoids to pollinators, and 3) Evaluate the relative benefits and risks of likely neonicotinoid substitutes (i.e., other insecticides or pest control strategies) compared to neonicotinoids. The resulting 432-page report, published in 2020, helped shape the 2024 Birds & Bees Protection Act, which is the first legislation in the USA to prohibit the use of neonicotinoid treatments on corn, soybean, and wheat seeds, as well as use on outdoor ornamental plants and turfs. Between release of the report and passing of the Birds & Bees Protection Act, there were multiple attempts to undermine the science and spread disinformation and misinformation.
If you are unable to join us, club members will be able to view this and past monthly meeting recordings in the Members Only portion of the website under BYBA Presentations.
Questions? Contact BYBA’s Paula Wolf at paulawolf@email.com.