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County staff outlines neonicotinoid risks and local actions in watershed presentation
Summary
Dane County staff presented scientific literature and monitoring results on neonicotinoid insecticides, citing widespread detection in surface waters and county action to prohibit neonics on county agricultural leases. Staff emphasized education and producer assistance as the main local response.
James Broadzeller, the Lakes and Watershed program coordinator, gave a wide-ranging presentation on neonicotinoid insecticides and their implications for water quality and aquatic life. "Essentially, they are synthetic nicotine," Broadzeller said, summarizing the chemicals' mode of action. He described common applications (seed dressings, foliar applications, and consumer products), and cited monitoring and research showing widespread environmental detection and ecological concerns.
Broadzeller noted monitoring results that raised concern: DNR sampling showed detectable levels in a large share of sampled ponds and streams (he said about 85 percent of sampled ponds had detectable neonics, with 25 percent above chronic thresholds and 12.5 percent above acute thresholds in the sample set). He also said Dane County has prohibited the use of neonic-coated seed and neonic insecticides on county agricultural leases starting in 2026 and emphasized that current local measures focus on producer education and assistance rather than regulatory bans beyond county land.
Commissioners asked whether regulation must come from state or federal agencies and whether market pressure could reduce usage. Broadzeller said pesticide oversight is primarily at the state and federal level and that working with producers and local procurement practices (demanding untreated seed) are among the most feasible local levers at present.
