On April 23, 2024 the NH Senate subcommittee voted to advance HB 1698 to the NH Senate floor for a full vote on May 2, 2023. This vote took place after NHBA, beekeepers, and members of the general public testified and contacted their senators in opposition of the bill. This bill proposes an exemption for the use of drones in the aerial application of pesticides from existing notification procedures. Specifically, it amends RSA 430:34-a by adding a new paragraph that states this section of the law does not apply to the aerial application of pesticides by a person with a valid certificate of registration or permit pursuant to RSA 430:33 when applying pesticides for agricultural purposes using unmanned aircraft, as defined in RSA 422:3, at a height not exceeding 20 feet above ground level.
The NHBA strongly opposes this bill because beekeepers will be unable to protect their hives from potentially harmful or lethal chemicals without advanced notice. Sequestering or removing hives is all beekeepers can do to protect their colonies and without this notification the consequences could be catastrophic for those exposed.
The NHBA strongly urges all beekeepers and concerned members of the public to contact their NH Senators in opposition to this bill. Give Bees a Chance!
The list of NH Senators can be found here: https://www.citizenscount.org/elected-officials/nh-senate
Information regarding the NHBA's opposition to HB 1698 can be found here: https://www.nhbeekeepers.org/news/new-hampshire-beekeepers-oppose-hb-1698-urges-public-to-act-april-15-2024
Photo Credit: Mary Ellen McKeen, president of the N.H. Beekeepers Association, poses in the State House on Thursday. She testified against a bill that would allow pesticides to be sprayed from drones without notifying neighbors first. Rick Green—The Keene Sentinel
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