Section 453, Pesticides, and the Fight to Save Our Pollinators
Bees do more than make honey. They pollinate 75% of our crops and wild plants, keeping ecosystems and food systems in balance. Yet, these vital pollinators face a silent but accelerating crisis—one largely driven by pesticides.
Enter Section 453 of the U.S. Farm Bill—a piece of legislation quietly threatening hard-won progress in pollinator protection. Understanding what’s at stake means understanding how systemic pesticide use has spiraled into a biodiversity emergency—and what we can do to stop it.
CALL YOUR SENATOR AND SAY NO TO Section 453
www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
The Problem With Pesticides
Modern agriculture often relies on neonicotinoids, a class of pesticides that affect insects' nervous systems. Though touted as low-risk for humans, neonics (as they’re called) are deadly to bees, butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects.
Key harms include:
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Impaired Navigation: Bees exposed to neonics struggle to find their way back to hives.
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Reduced Reproduction: Colonies exposed to pesticides produce fewer queens and viable offspring.
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Weakened Immunity: Exposure makes pollinators more susceptible to disease, mites, and stress.
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Soil & Water Contamination: Neonics persist in soil for years and leach into rivers and streams, affecting aquatic life.
What is Section 453?
Section 453 is a provision of the proposed 2024 U.S. Farm Bill that aims to strip states and local communities of their right to regulate pesticides, including those proven to harm pollinators. In short, it would:
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Prevent states from banning dangerous pesticides (even if they want to).
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Overturn existing local protections (like California and New York’s bee-friendly rules).
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Give chemical manufacturers more power over what’s sprayed across the country.
If passed, Section 453 would nullify decades of environmental advocacy and state-level wins, putting millions of pollinators—and public health—at risk.
🐝 Who’s Fighting Back?
From grassroots bee-lovers to large hotel brands, a growing movement is working to protect pollinators and push back against toxic legislation like Section 453.
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Advocacy Orgs: Groups like Friends of the Earth, Beyond Pesticides, and Pollinator Partnership are sounding the alarm.
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State Governments: Several have filed resolutions opposing Section 453 and reaffirming their right to regulate pesticide use.
🌻 What You Can Do
1. Contact Your Representatives
Urge your senators and congresspeople to oppose Section 453. Let them know you value pollinator health and local control.
2. Support Bee-Safe Legislation
Look for and vote for state and local initiatives that ban or restrict harmful pesticides like neonicotinoids.
3. Choose Organic & Regenerative Foods
Support farms and brands that reject synthetic pesticides. Look for USDA Organic, Bee Better Certified, or Regenerative Organic labels.
4. Create a Pesticide-Free Garden
Plant native wildflowers, avoid chemical sprays, and install a bee hotel to support solitary pollinators.
5. Shop From Brands That Protect Pollinators
Support companies that use ethical sourcing, natural ingredients, and donate to bee conservation programs.
📣 Take Action Now:
✅ Call your reps: Tell Congress to vote NO on Section 453
✅ Support local farms: Choose organic, regenerative, and bee-friendly foods
✅ Garden pesticide-free: Plant wildflowers, avoid chemical sprays, and add a bee hotel
✅ Back bee-saving brands: Buy from companies protecting pollinators
🌍 Final Thought
Bees are more than a symbol of spring—they’re linchpins of life. Section 453 threatens not just bees, but our autonomy to protect them. While pesticide lobbyists push for national deregulation, we must push back—through our voices, our votes, and our values.
Because a world without bees is a world without beauty, biodiversity, and the foods we love.
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