State legislation to protect birds and bees goes too far

It’s no secret that the cost of nearly everything has gone up in the last few years. Businesses large and small are struggling with how to keep making a profit while not losing customers due to rising prices.

And without intervention from Gov. Kathy Hochul, there’s another potential cost about to rise — your golf game.

Legislation is headed to the governor that would do away with one of the most effective tools that golf courses have to keep our greens healthy and pest-free — pesticides known as neonicotinoids.

The folks who are pushing for this legislation — which they refer to as “The Birds and Bees Protection Act” — are no doubt well-intended. However, the science shows that if this ban is put into effect, more harm could actually be done to the environment — which is something all of us should be concerned about.

Golf has long been popular and an important driver of the economy in New York---to the tune of over $5 billion a year in direct and indirect revenue, employing more than 55,000 residents, and growing local businesses nearby.

However, as someone who has taken care of golf courses for years, I am worried about the unintended consequences that my colleagues and I may face as a result of the overzealous legislation waiting for Hochul’s action. If signed into law, this legislative ban could handicap my colleagues and I from effectively protecting our courses from pests that when left untreated can cause irreparable damage.

One of our most destructive pests is the white grub. The damage it can cause to turf grass makes it one of the most predictable yet costly pests we deal with on a year-in and year-out basis.

Until recently, there was only one primary pesticide in New York State that preventively controlled white grub damage in turf — imidacloprid. Imidacloprid is already categorized as a product that can only be used by a trained certified pesticide applicator for turf grass landscapes.

We are completely aware of application risks and have developed best-management practices in conjunction with Cornell University that not only balance safe application with minimal effects to non-target organisms, but also promote pollinators on golf courses.

These best-management practices along with the state Department of Environmental Conservation should govern our usage on turf. One well-timed application of imidacloprid in conjunction with best-management practices has proved to have no adverse effects on pollinator populations. The federal Environmental Protection Agency continually reviews safety and usage of agricultural chemistries.

Why have state legislators not acknowledged the work done in the scientific community related to these best practices and integrated pest management? I find it so incredibly deflating that despite the countless efforts golf courses make to demonstrate their environmental stewardship and best-management practice efforts, legislators continue to fail to acknowledge the hard work, compliance, and vital role golf courses play in New York’s communities and economy. If lawmakers did, then they would recognize this in the legislation rather than remove important tools and options from these pest-management programs.

Legislating science is never a good idea, and our lawmakers in Albany need to leave regulation of the tools used to protect our lands to the experts — the EPA and DEC, which regulate these products in the state and adhere to the highest standards.

We ask Gov. Hochul to veto this bill.