The Massachusetts legislature failed to pass legislation today that would restrict the use of bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides. H. 4041, An Act to Protect Massachusetts Pollinators, would have restricted the use of neonics to licensed pesticide applicators only.

Today farmworkers, students, public health, beekeeping, environmental, faith-based and consumer groups held a protest at Kroger’s (NYSE: KR) annual shareholder meeting, calling on the company to sign onto the Fair Food Program and commit to eliminate toxic pesticides from its supply chain.

If Kroger is serious about protecting pollinators, people and the planet, it must phase out the use of toxic pesticides on the food it sells and increase its domestic organic offerings.

Advocates argue that while the policy is a good first step - Kroger must do more to phase out pesticides in its supply chain on the food it sells.

Given the failure of our federal government to regulate the rampant use of toxic pesticides, we are encouraged by the steps Costco is taking to reduce the use of toxic pesticides in its supply chain and increase organic offerings to protect our environment, public health and pollinators

These dire honeybee numbers add to the consistent pattern of unsustainable bee losses in recent years that threatens our food system, but they are the tip of the iceberg.

The Vermont Senate listened to concerned constituents and adopted a key recommendation from the Vermont Pollinator Protection Committee that urged restrictions on bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides.

219,210 public comments call on the EPA to ban neonicotinoid pesticides—a leading cause of pollinator decline.