California among leaders in protecting pollinators, with work still to be done

                  State lacks two key policies, including addressing pesticide-coated seeds 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – As National Pollinator Week – which began on Monday – flies by, pollinator populations across the United States need to be protected from dangerous pesticides and habitat loss. During their related outreach and education efforts, Environment California and CALPIRG found that California is still missing two key policies that other states have adopted — including one restricting a common chemical. 

“For the sake of all our bees and butterflies, we must restrict the practice of coating seeds with neonics,” said Environment California State Director Laura Deehan. “We’ve done a lot already, but California’s leaders must act swiftly to make the seeds planted in our farms and gardens safer for pollinators.”

A 2023 state law restricting the commercial sale of bee-killing pesticides called neonicotinoids (“neonics”) went into effect in January 2025. Twelve other states have passed similar legislation. California is also one of two states (along with Minnesota) to block the use of neonics on state lands. But the state has so far neglected to restrict the use of agricultural seeds coated with neonics, a practice that disperses pollinator-killing chemicals throughout growing plants and into the soil and groundwater. So far, Vermont and New York are the only states to take this step.

“California’s diverse natural environment is one of the hallmarks of our state. It wouldn’t exist if human actions had incapacitated and killed previous generations of our incredible pollinators,” Deehan said. “Toxic pesticides are just part of the picture — we also have to make sure that bees and butterflies have enough quality habitat.”

Inhospitable environments created by human activities, such as the elimination of native flowering plants used for foraging and habitat used for nesting, distinctly threaten pollinator species. A 2018 California law established a program to plant native wildflowers along roadways, but the state has not committed to expanding pollinator-friendly habitat on state lands.

For their new snapshot of state actions to protect pollinators, Environment California and CALPIRG sought information from a variety of sources to make comparisons across five key pollinator protection policies.

California checked the box on three of the five categories analyzed.

• Restrict the sale to consumers of neonics. [YES]

• A plan to plant pollinator-friendly plants along state roadsides. [YES]

• Block the use of neonics in state wildlife areas and similar lands. [YES]

• A plan for pollinator-friendly habitat on state lands. [NO]
• Restrict the process of coating seeds with neonics. [NO] 

This summer, Environment California’s team will knock on tens of thousands of doors across the state and talk to Californians to build support for neonic and habitat protections for pollinators.

“Bees are essential for pollinating the flowers in our yards and the food we eat. Since California is the nation’s top food-producing state, the state should have an extra incentive to become a national leader in protecting pollinators,” said Jenn Engstrom, state director for CALPIRG.