We only have today and tomorrow for the NYS Senate to pass the Birds & Bees Protection Act! Your calls/emails helped nudge the Senate to adopt a “same as” version of the bill (thank you!!) but now they need to vote and pass it! Can you call today to help nudge our leadership to bring this bill to a vote?

Status: The bill passed the Assembly (103-41) and an identical or “same-as” bill is now on the floor of the Senate (S699D) and just a floor vote away from passage. We heard recently that this “same-as” bill is unlikely to come up for a vote, but we think we can turn the tide if enough people put pressure on Senate legislative leadership.

Ask: With only today and tomorrow left in the legislative session, it’s critical that we tell Senate leadership, that we want the “same-as” version of the bill (S699D or the “D print”), put up for a full Senate vote and passed this week. Please consider placing a call today to:

• Sen. Hinchey (Ag. Committee Chair) – 518-455-2350
• Sen. Stewart-Cousins (Majority Leader) – (518) 455-2715 or (518) 455-2585
• Sen. Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader) – (518) 455-3486

Here’s some language that you can use in your call:

As a farmer/gardener/food system advocate in town/city name, I urge Senator’s Name to take action to protect our state against harmful and unnecessary uses of neonicotinoid pesticides by passing the Birds and Bees Protection Act (A7429A/S699D) before June 2.

Neonics are responsible for killing the bees and other pollinators we depend on for a robust food supply. They are also increasingly linked to mass losses of birds, the collapse of fisheries, and other wildlife harms. These neurotoxic pesticides are found in the water we drink, the food we eat, and inside our bodies Neonics are dangerous, widespread, and, for the most part, ineffective pesticides.

Please, protect bees, our ecosystems, and the health of New Yorkers by ensuring that the Birds and Bees Protection Act passes before the end of the legislative session.

Inform Yourself About BioEngineered Foods and How to Avoid Them!

Earlier this year, a new labeling law went into effect, which now refers to GMO’s (genetically modified organism) as BioEngineered Foods (labeled BE). This can be very confusing for the consumer, and many of the BE labels are just a barcode, and require the consumer to have a smart phone in order to scan the barcode to find the BioEngineered information on the product.

John and Ocean Robbins, the founders of the Food Revolution Network just posted a great article on What you need to know about GMO’s, and how to protect your family from them. Please check it out!

Looking for a place to get locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables this summer? Below is a partial guide that Newsday posted about the different farmers markets around Long Island. They are constantly updating the list, so check it out! For other suggestions, check out Local Harvest. They are a national website that lists Farmers Markets and CSA’s around the country. Please note that all Farmers Markets are not organic. It is important to ask your farmer their growing methods. Organic Certification guarantees that the produce is organic, but many farmers follow organic growing methods without the certification, so ask your farmer. Just because you buy it at a farmers market, does not guarantee it is grown with organic seeds and without pesticides and herbicides.

Join a March Against Gun Violence!

National show of support on June 11th. Indivisible is partnering with March for Our Lives on nationwide actions in support of gun reforms on June 11th. Our goal is to keep the focus on getting legislation passed ASAP. To do that, we need numbers — and that means you. 
* Click here to find an event near you.
* If there isn’t one planned, click here to register an event near you. 
* If you’re in DC, click here to register for the big mobilization on the 11th.

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