SF3083

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the bill is to enhance the regulation and management of pesticides, specifically those from treated seeds, to prevent contamination of Minnesota’s natural resources. These pesticides have been shown to impact ground and surface water, air quality, and public health. The bill aims to update the state’s pesticide management plans and strengthen monitoring and regulatory actions to mitigate these effects.

Main Provisions

• Pesticide Management Plan: The bill mandates updates to the existing pesticide management plan, adding a focus on pesticides from treated seeds and their breakdown products. The plan must involve coordination with local governments, public health agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Monitoring Requirements: New requirements will be added for testing groundwater, surface water, and air for contamination by pesticides from treated seeds.
• Preventative Actions: The commissioner of agriculture will have the authority to take necessary steps to prevent such contamination and will be responsible for sampling and monitoring these ecological resources for signs of pesticide presence.
• Labeling Requirements: Specific labeling requirements for pesticide-treated seeds will be introduced, including warnings about negative effects on pollinators.
• Systemic Pesticide-treated Seed Program: A program will be established to regulate systemic pesticide-treated seeds, accounting for their usage and impact in Minnesota. This will include certification requirements for their use and collaborations with academic institutions for research and dissemination of best practices.
• Systemic Pesticide-treated Seed Alternatives Account: A fund will be created to support research into and outreach for non-chemical pest prevention methods, offering alternatives to current practices.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Enhanced Penalties: Penalties for damage caused by pesticide application to protected lands will be doubled.
• Definition of Systemic Pesticide: The bill introduces a formal definition for systemic pesticides and requires them to be listed on a public website, outlining which chemicals are regulated as systemic pesticides.
• Mandatory Reporting: The commissioner must develop systemic pesticide-treated seed program protocols that include reporting quantities and locations of usage and ensuring regulatory restrictions are in place to protect the environment and public health.

Relevant Terms

• Pesticide Management Plan
• Systemic Pesticides
• Treated Seeds
• Groundwater Contamination
• Surface Water Contamination
• Air Quality
• Neonicotinoids
• Pollinator Health
• Environmental Monitoring