Environmental group urges Ulster County committee to oppose Farm Bill pesticide preemption

Jeff Horsfield, legislative director for the Environmental Working Group, told the Ulster County Legislature's Committee on Energy, Environment and Sustainability that amendments in the House Farm Bill would strip state and local governments of the ability to impose pesticide restrictions beyond federal standards.

Horsfield said the bill includes two provisions that would roll back current protections: one would bar states and localities from using pesticide label addendums to impose additional restrictions, and another would prohibit political subdivisions from regulating pesticides more strictly than federal requirements. "They are coming to take away state and local rights," Horsfield said, urging the committee to press Rep. Josh Riley, who sits on the House Agriculture Committee, to oppose the language.

The committee chair said a memorializing letter, to be circulated to the full legislature, was being prepared by Legislator Amy Dooley and the chair and would be delivered to members of the state delegation. Horsfield recommended targeted outreach to New York's congressional delegation and suggested quickly updating any local pesticide restrictions to strengthen legal protections while the federal situation remains uncertain.

Why it matters: Horsfield said label addendums are the mechanism by which states and counties inform applicators of additional restrictions (for example, buffer zones around schools or notification requirements). He warned that the proposed Agricultural Uniformity Labeling Act language would remove that tool and cited ongoing civil litigation where courts have referenced local label addendums.

Committee members asked procedural and tactical questions. Horsfield said both the House and Senate would have to pass a bill for changes to take legal effect, but that passage in the House's markup could make it harder to remove the provisions later in conference. He also offered to connect county legislators with subject-matter contacts for outreach to the congressional delegation.

The meeting produced no formal vote on federal outreach beyond continuing work on the memorializing letter; Horsfield said he had previously circulated a draft letter to the committee chair and the committee planned to circulate its version to full legislature members the following day.

The committee said it would stay in contact with Horsfield for follow-up information and potential coordinated outreach.