Will the new pollinator protection bill in Maryland mean more business for landscape professionals? If people follow the advice of Maryland Farm Bureau President Chuck Fry the answer is “yes.” In a recent guest column to the MyEasternShoreMD.com, Fry questions the efficacy of Maryland’s new pollinator protection act and recommends that homeowners contact a landscape professional if they experience pest problems with their plants.
Fry’s comments are in response to the state’s new law that bans the retail sale of neonics, but still allows certified applicators to use them in residential settings. The measure went into effect last month when Maryland Governor Larry Hogan allowed bill to go into effect without his signature. The action made Maryland the first state in the country to ban the sale of neonics to consumers.
During testimony on the bill, landscape professionals and many other industry experts testified that there was no clear evidence linking field level doses of neonics to declining pollinator health. Anti-pesticide activists were able to convince legislators that neonics were the primary cause of the state’s honey bee population.
However, NALP and our allies were able to mitigate the impact of the measure on ours members by advocating that the ban not apply to landscape professionals. NALP will continue to provide a voice on behalf of our members when proposals to limit your ability to provide services to customers are under consideration.
