New Vermont film spotlights farming without neonic-treated seeds

A new documentary is set to tour Vermont this August as the state moves toward a 2029 phase-out of neonicotinoid-treated field crop seeds. The film aims to give farmers, researchers and policymakers practical examples of how crop production can work without the seed treatment and what the shift could mean for agriculture and pollinator health.

Why it matters: - Vermont farmers are facing a 2029 deadline to stop using neonicotinoid-treated field crop seeds under the Pollinator Protection Act. - The transition affects row crops like corn and soybeans, which are among the main crops treated with these insecticides. - The film is meant to give growers real-world examples instead of speculation about pest management without treated seeds. - The issue carries broader stakes for pollinators, other beneficial insects, wildlife and possible human health impacts.

What happened: - The One Hive Foundation, with support from the Lintilhac Foundation, produced Seeding Change: Farming Beyond Neonics. - The documentary premieres this August with public screenings across Vermont. - The film follows farmers and researchers from Vermont, New York and Quebec. - Vermont became the second state after New York to restrict neonicotinoid-treated field crop seeds when the Pollinator Protection Act passed in 2024. - A community screening schedule begins Aug. 4 in Thetford and continues through Oct. 22 in Shelburne. - The film trailer and screening details are available at the film website. - Media assets are available in this shared folder.

The details: - The film includes on-farm interviews, research updates and field-trial perspectives from Extension specialists and researchers across the Northeast. - The documentary builds on a 2024 panel hosted by the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program and the Vermont Bee Lab. - That panel brought Quebec farmers together to discuss their experience after moving away from neonic-treated seeds in 2019. - The film is aimed at farmers, land stewards, agricultural service providers, crop consultants, Extension professionals, policymakers, conservation organizations and people interested in Vermont agriculture and pollinator conservation. - Organizers say the screenings are designed to help communities learn together and discuss a divisive issue in public. - Organizations that want to host additional screenings can contact Alisha Utter, PhD at alisha@onehivefoundation.org.

Between the lines: - The documentary doubles as outreach for a policy change that is already in motion, not just a standalone film project. - By featuring farmers who have already made the transition, the project frames the neonic phase-out as a practical management question, not only an environmental one. - The timing suggests Vermont agriculture is entering a period of experimentation as growers, advisers and researchers test alternatives before the 2029 deadline.

What's next: - Vermont screenings are scheduled for Aug. 4, Aug. 8, Aug. 27, Oct. 13 and Oct. 22. - The premiere and panel discussion are set for Aug. 8 at the Savoy Theater in Montpelier. - The film is intended to keep circulating through community screenings and additional hosting requests. - The One Hive Foundation says the broader goal is to support science-based solutions for agriculture and environmental stewardship. - More information, tickets and resources are available through the film website.