Over the past nine years there has been a significant increase in the collapse of bee colonies and declining populations of bees in Washington State and the nation. Bees and other insect pollinator populations are critical for food crop production and agriculture, and the state and local agricultural economies are highly dependent on pollinators.

Free packets of bee friendly non-invasive flower seeds are currently available through Thurston County Noxious Weeds. Call (360)786-5576 or email [email protected] to get your packet today!

In response to this crisis, my fellow commissioners and I amended the county's Pest and Vegetation Management Policy (PVM) to prohibit the use of neonicotinoid insecticides on county owned or managed property. Neonicotinoids are a group of systemic chemicals used to control insects that chew on or suck liquids from plants. The insecticides are sprayed onto a plant or the soil in which a plant is growing to be absorbed and circulated throughout the plant. Some seeds are actually coated with these chemicals so the plants absorb them as soon as it sprouts. These chemicals make the stems, roots, leaves, flowers, pollen and nectar poisonous for an extended period.

The continued viability of the agricultural industry is important to our food security, the agricultural heritage of our region, and the health and well-being of county residents. Banning these toxic chemicals furthers our goal of minimizing the use of pesticides in county practice whenever possible.

Now, I'm asking my fellow community leaders to take the same initiative by signing onto a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), pledging not to use neonicotinoids on properties that they manage. I'll let you know who signed on in the next newsletter!