Please support! This is crucial to our state and our health! Thank you, Mrs. Martha Jaquith
HB1086
House · 2026 sessionBipartisanKilled in SenateStudying neonicotinoid seed treatments
AIEstablishes a legislative committee to study neonicotinoid seed treatments, including data from other jurisdictions on crop yields, seed availability, and environmental effects, and requires a report with recommendations by November 1, 2026.
(New Title) creating a committee to study neonicotinoid seed treatments.
Status
Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · April 23, 2026- ✓Introduced
- ✓House
- ✕Senate
- Governor
- Law
Division of testimony
337 submissionsArgument digest · AI-generated
from 138 of 138 written submissionsHB1086 would create a committee to study neonicotinoid seed treatments, and much of the testimony treats it as a step toward restricting or banning the sale of neonicotinoid-coated agricultural seeds in New Hampshire. Supporters, who make up nearly all submitters, argue these pesticides harm pollinators, wildlife, and water quality, particularly in the Lakes Region; the small number of opposing submissions argue pesticide regulation belongs with executive agencies rather than the legislature, or that the bill's waiver provision undermines its own purpose.
- Neonicotinoids harm pollinators and wildlifeSupport67 of 138 reviewed
Submitters argue neonicotinoid seed coatings are toxic to bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, and that this harm cascades to birds and other wildlife that depend on them.
“As an avid outdoorsman and fly fisherman, I have seen firsthand the tragic decline of mayflies—trout’s primary food source—in our streams, particularly in the Connecticut River. I have also witnessed a sharp reduction in bees, pollinators, and other insects.”
— Bob Eaton, Wolfeboro · #524523 — read full submission →
“Pesticides are a significant conservation concern. The SWAP classifies them as pollution under the threat category “Agricultural and forestry effluents / Herbicides & pesticides.””
— Heather Hughes, Dover · #530869 — read full submission →
- Neonicotinoid runoff fuels cyanobacteria blooms in lakesSupport50 of 138 reviewed
Many submitters, especially from Lakes Region towns, argue neonicotinoids leach into groundwater and runoff, disrupting the aquatic food web and contributing to harmful cyanobacteria blooms that threaten water quality, recreation, and the tourism economy.
“Neonicotinoids can leach from treated seeds into soil, then move into groundwater and surface runoff water that flows into lakes and rivers.”
— Marie Samaha, Moultonborough · #523977 — read full submission →
“Studies have shown that part of the reason for these blooms is runoff from properties using "neonic" coated seeds and pesticides.”
— Janice Hebert, Topsfield · #525110 — read full submission →
- Coated seeds offer no yield benefit, added costSupport4 of 138 reviewed
Some submitters cite research finding that neonicotinoid-treated seeds cost more than untreated seeds without producing meaningfully higher crop yields.
- Neonicotinoids pose human health risksSupport6 of 138 reviewed
A smaller number of submitters cite research linking neonicotinoid exposure to neurodevelopmental effects, birth defects, or other human and mammalian health harms.
“Research links neonic exposures in the womb to birth defects of the heart and brain, autism-like symptoms, and reduced cognitive abilities.”
— Hope Damon, Croydon · #528974 — read full submission →
“This could greatly disrupt the aquatic food web, leading to harmful cyanobacteria blooms on our lakes. Research has also found neonitocotinoids can be neurotoxic for mammals.”
— Melody Lynn, Salem · #523018 — read full submission →
- NH lags neighboring states on neonicotinoid limitsSupport4 of 138 reviewed
Some submitters note that other states, including neighboring Vermont and New York, have already restricted neonicotinoid-treated seeds, and argue New Hampshire should follow suit rather than lag behind.
“Over a dozen states have restricted neonicotinoid use, although for most that meant simply taking them off the shelves for consumers. But our neighbors New York and Vermont have banned neonic-treated seeds for major crops.”
— Elyse Ruback, Manchester · #527448 — read full submission →
“As the only New England state that has not acted to protect pollinators, I am left wondering why NH insists in being behind in environmental protection.”
— Sarah Kadel, Henniker · #527069 — read full submission →
- Support the bill but keep waiver provision narrowSupport2 of 138 reviewed
A few submitters express support while urging that any waiver allowing continued neonicotinoid use be applied strictly and sparingly.
“Neonicotinoids are necessary pesticides, but their use should be curtailed and tightly regulated.”
— Leland Russell, Rindge · #523282 — read full submission →
“Please pass this bill and make sure that any waiver requirements are very strict.”
— Mary Anne Broshek, Peterborough · #531894 — read full submission →
- More funding needed for cyanobacteria mitigationSupport1 of 138 reviewed
One submitter argues that, alongside restricting neonicotinoids, the state needs to replenish funding for cyanobacteria mitigation efforts.
- Pesticide regulation belongs with executive agenciesOppose1 of 138 reviewed
One submitter argues pesticide use should be regulated by the NH Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Control Board through the existing EPA-label process, not directly by the legislature, and questions the scientific rigor behind claims of harm.
- Bill's waiver provision undermines its purposeOppose1 of 138 reviewed
One submitter opposes this version of the bill because it allows sellers to request a waiver to continue using neonicotinoids, which they see as contradicting the bill's stated goal of prohibiting treated seeds.
Generated by claude-sonnet-5 (claude code agent) on Jul 22, 2026. Quotes are verbatim excerpts, verified against the cited submission before publication. Summaries are AI interpretation of the record, not part of it.
Neonicotinoides are harmful to the bees and other insects. Without pollinators, we will have no food. We need to appreciate the fact that there are many beneficial insects, but pesticides kill them all. These chemicals are not good for the environment overall. Also, these chemicals are passed up the food chain in a process called biological magnification. We need to reduce the amount of chemicals which we are adding to our environment. It will be healthier for all creatures.
I support limiting and passing out the use of neonicotiods. Once planted, these deadly chemicals don’t stay contained. They move through soil, water, air, food chains and even plant tissues, creating widespread environmental contamination that threatens pollinators, birds, insects and other vital species—and with them, the ecosystems and food chains we rely on.
As someone who used to own a farm, I know that pollinators are in trouble. Please pass this bill and make sure that any waiver requirements are very strict.
I strongly support this Bill to restrict the use of highly toxic neonicotinoids, and strongly urge you to Vote to Pass this Bill. Neonicotinoids are applied primarily by agriculturalists (but also retailers of ornamental and native plants), to control destructive mites, aphids, and other “pesty” insect species. Not only are they highly toxic, but these poisons persist in roots, soil, and water bodies, residing in environments long after initial application. Their widespread and indiscriminate use threatens not just target species, but also myriads of non-target organisms, including essential pollinators - native bees, moths, and ants. Predatory insects such as wasps, ladybugs, and lacewings, who assist farmers by controlling pests, also suffer secondary exposure. Earthworms and beetle larvae that are very beneficial in gardens will die in the contaminated soil from application of the neonicotinoids.
We need to protect lakes in New Hampshire. They are a critical part of the state's economy.
On behalf of our health and safety and that of our wildlife, I support this bill.
I'm very concerned about the decrease in the number of pollinators (bees) in our country and in NH, and the decrease in the number of birds (by 25%). These decreases are directly linked to the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. I support restricting their use. We need pollinator populations to be robust and healthy for human survival (growing food!).
I volunteer to survey butterflies in the state. This bill supports the conservation needed to protect insects. Insects are essential to life. We need our bees, butterflies, moths, wasps and all the rest to sustain life.
NH Fish and Game classifies pesticides as a threat not only to wildlife, but also to their habitats and to our entire ecosystem. From the NH State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP): Pesticides are a significant conservation concern. The SWAP classifies them as pollution under the threat category “Agricultural and forestry effluents / Herbicides & pesticides.” The SWAP documents that pesticide use contributes to direct wildlife mortality, particularly among insects and other invertebrates (including impacts from neonicotinoids), and to habitat degradation through runoff, especially in streams, wetlands, and other aquatic systems. The plan's threat summaries describe herbicides and pesticides as among the most commonly identified threats to New Hampshire’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need, underscoring pesticide pollution as a statewide issue affecting both species and ecosystems. Please vote to prohibit the sale of certain agricultural seeds treated with neonicotinoids. Thank you!
we must protect the health of the small wildlife from toxic pesticides; if we don't do this now we will suffer the long term consequences (failed agriculture)
I support this bill
I raise perennials to support pollinating insects. Much of my pleasure comes from watching all the butterflies, bees, wasps and beetles that visit my garden.
Not only are these compunds highly toxic, but these poisons persist in roots, soil, and water bodies, residing in environments long after initial application. Their widespread and indiscriminate use threatens not just target species, but also myriads of nontarget organisms, including essential pollinators - native bees, moths, and ants. Predatory insects such as wasps, ladybugs, and lacewings, who assist farmers by controlling pests, also suffer secondary exposure. Earthworms and beetle larvae die in contaminated soil.
As a master gardener and member of the Derry Garden Club, this chemical, neonicotinoid, needs to be immediately stopped to save our bees and other necessary polinators.
This bill would put into place essential restrictions on the sale of neonicotinoid treated seeds NH. We know what the effects of these pesticides are on insect pollinators, especially bees. High dose coated seeds are commonly used in agriculture, and the indiscriminate spread of seeds contaminates water, soil and plants in none-target areas. Additionally, the efficacy of neonicotinoid pesticides has been questioned and it is well known that several agricultural insects pests have developed resistance to neonicotinoid pesticides. This bill is a first step in protecting pollinators, and developing better pesticide management approaches for the agricultural sector.
Pollinators give us large amounts of our food, they are essential to cultivation of almost a third of our food crops. It is foolish to use anything that endangers them.
With more and more development of the land occurring we as residents need to ensure that this development is coupled with responsible stewardship for the continued health of our ecosystems
I am in full support of this bill to prohibit the use of neonicotinoid treated seeds. Protecting bees and birds may seem like a small thing but it is foundational in preserving the pristine nature of our state and that benefits us all in the long run.
Pesticide use should be regulated by the NH Department of Agriculture , Markets and Food Pesticide Control Board, not the NH legislature. Pesticide sale and use regulations are based on EPA label restrictions. These labeled uses are in turn based on scientific studies following the " scientific method" for conducting research and use. Unfortunately , many times, reports of negative impacts of use are based on anecdotal evidence or conjecture as a result of a failure to conduct well designed research comparing "real world " conditions against controlled conditions, resulting in erroneous conclusions arising from a failure to identify and evaluate other sources of co-existing environmental impact factors such as bacterial and fungal diseases. parasitic infestations, or just influences of the weather. I urge the Environment and Agriculture Committee to recommend "inexpedient to legislate" HB1431 and HB1086 . Thank you for your consideration. Erick Sawtelle, Lee,NH
I am strongly in support of HB1431, restricting the use of Neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids harm ecosystems by devastating pollinators and beneficial insects, contaminating water, and negatively impacting birds, leading to population declines, impaired migration, and reproduction issues, while also posing risks to human health, potentially causing neurodevelopmental problems due to their systemic neurotoxicity, despite being initially seen as safer alternatives. Their widespread use, often via seed coatings, leads to environmental persistence, affecting non-target organisms through contaminated pollen, water runoff, and soil, disrupting entire food webs. A 2019 analysis (published in Ecology, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) found that more than 40% of insect species are threatened with extinction. It cited habitat loss to agriculture activities, the use of pesticides, as well as climate change as factors in the insects' decline. International reviews have estimated annual losses globally of between 1% and 2.5% of total biomass every year. Insects are at the core of the food web and our ecosystems here in NH and we must protect them from further harm and loss in this unprecedented time of biodiversity loss and climate uncertainty.
I’m asking you to support HB 1086 because it’s a practical, science-backed step toward protecting New Hampshire’s pollinators and the farms that depend on them. Neonicotinoid pesticides don’t just vanish after they’re applied — they linger in the soil and wash into streams and wetlands, where they harm bees, butterflies, and the aquatic insects that keep our ecosystems running. When pollinators decline, the crops that rely on them take a hit, and that affects farmers, local food systems, and the state’s economy. HB 1086 doesn’t ban everything outright. It simply puts reasonable limits on when and how neonics can be used, especially around pollinator-dependent crops, and strengthens oversight so we’re not unintentionally undermining our own agricultural resilience. Other states have already taken similar steps, and the research is pointing in the same direction: protecting pollinators protects our food supply. Supporting HB 1086 means choosing healthy ecosystems, stronger farms, and a more sustainable future for New Hampshire.
NH Fish and Game classifies pesticides as a threat not only to wildlife, but also to their habitats and to our entire ecosystem. From the NH State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), submitted in September 2025: Pesticides are a significant conservation concern. The SWAP classifies them as pollution under the threat category “Agricultural and forestry effluents / Herbicides & pesticides.” Pesticide use contributes to direct wildlife mortality, particularly among insects and other invertebrates (including impacts from neonicotinoids), and to habitat degradation through runoff, especially in streams, wetlands, and other aquatic systems. The plan's threat summaries describe herbicides and pesticides as among the most commonly identified threats to New Hampshire’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need,
As an employee of an environmental organization and the author of Native New Hampshire: create your own wildlife sanctuary, I understand the long standing and environmentally pervasive devastation that neonicotinoids have on NH ecosystems and multiple trophic levels. Please support this important bill to position our state as leaders in environmental conservation and wildlife protection.
Every year there are less and less songbirds and bees in New Hampshire. I've lived in Milford, NH for nearly 17 years and I have absolutely noticed the decline of these amazing creatures. Songbirds and bees are in decline and seeds treated with neonicotinoids are a major culprit contributing to this loss of life. It is absolutely tragic. As stewards of this state we need to rethink how our actions impact these creatures. I implore you to please prohibit the sale of certain agricultural seeds treated with neonicotinoid pesticides so that birds and bees can flourish.