The scheduled meeting of the Minnesota House Ag Finance Committee on Tuesday might have been cancelled, but that doesn't mean that no mischief was afoot.
While Bluestem was off boning up on the new bill to help human trafficking resume at the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton offered today in the House Public Safety Committee and listening to the Republican transportation bill in the House Transportation Finance Committee, a delete-all amendment-- H0895DE1.pdf--was posted that removed much of substance from the pollinator-friendly language in HF895. The amendment effectively shields the agro-chemical industry from any serious scrutiny by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture of its role in pollinator decline.
Proof that irony still flits through the halls of the Minnesota State Capitol, the amendment was posted on the day when The endangered listing for the rusty patched bumblebee is finally given wings, as the Washington Post so cleverly put it.
That amendment should pass when the committee meets again on Wednesday and Thursday at 10:15 a.m. The action follows the stripping of pollinator-friendly language from the House Ag Policy omnibus bill earlier this month. For a succinct recap of that action, check out Dan Gunderson's report on Minnesota Public Radio, Lawmakers reject attempt to regulate seeds that can harm pollinators.
Gone from the bill as originally introduced (also known as what the Governor and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture wanted)? The original language devoted $500,000 each year for research (now reduced to $250,000 each year) for a pollinator protection account (Article 1, Section 2, subdivision 2)--and would have added this language to statute:
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 18B.01, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:Subd. 1d.
Bee-toxic pesticide.
"Bee-toxic pesticide" means any pesticide active ingredient categorized as moderately or highly toxic based on acute toxicity assessments considered acceptable by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Apis mellifera L. under the EPA's OCSPP 850.3020: Honey Bee Acute Contact Toxicity Test, protocol.
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 18B.05, is amended to read:
18B.05 PESTICIDE REGULATORY ACCOUNT.
Subdivision 1.
Establishment.
A pesticide regulatory account is established in the agricultural fund. Fees, assessments, and penalties collected under this chapter, except for fees collected under section 18B.26, subdivision 3, paragraphs (m) and (n), must be deposited in the agricultural fund and credited to the pesticide regulatory account. Money in the account, including interest, is appropriated to the commissioner for the administration and enforcement of this chapter and up to $20,000 per fiscal year may also be used by the commissioner for purposes of section 18H.14, paragraph (e).
Sec. 3.
[18B.051] POLLINATOR PROTECTION ACCOUNT.
A pollinator protection account is established in the agricultural fund. Fees collected under section 18B.26, subdivision 3, paragraphs (m) and (n), must be deposited in the agricultural fund and credited to the pollinator protection account. Money in the account, including interest, is appropriated to the commissioner for the administration of pollinator protection from potential negative impacts from pesticides and may include supporting research, education campaigns, and development of economic thresholds or stewardship materials, and for grants for research, implementation, and educational activities.
In the "DE" amendment, any mention of those pesticides is gone:
Sect 5 [18B.051] POLLINATOR HABIT AT AND RESEARCH ACCOUNT . A pollinator habitat and research account is established in the agricultural fund. Money in the account, including interest, is transferred to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for pollinator research and outreach including, but not limited to, science-based best practices and the identification and establishment of habitat beneficial to pollinators.
There might be more, but like our pollinator friends, Bluestem thinks our readers will get the drift.
No wonder then that pollinator defender, Minority Lead Rick Hansen, DFL-S.St. Paul, tweeted:
Bee washing🐝 at Legislature (2017): Looking like you are doing something for bees when you are not. #savethebees #pollinator
— Rep. Rick hansen (@reprickhansen) March 21, 2017
Photo: An endangered rusty patched bumblebee feeding on wild bee balm. The species, once common in Minnesota, was listed today as endangered.
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