This is information from the League of Women Voters
Minnesota:
What is a precinct caucus?
Precinct caucuses are meetings run by Minnesota’s
political parties. They are the first in a series of meetings where
parties endorse candidates and set goals and values (called the
party platform). In 2016, a major part of precinct caucuses will be to
vote for the person you want your political party to support for President
in the presidential preference ballot.
Date and locations
Minnesota Republican Party and Minnesota DFL
Party
Tuesday, March 1 starting at 7:00 PM.
Here follows one pollinator resolution prepared
by the LWVMN voters that you can bring to your caucus. Ask that it be included in
your party platform. You'll be asked to read it to your group, perhaps discuss
it or vote on its inclusion and leave a hard copy with your organizer, I think.
If many groups ask for the same language it has a better chance of being
included in the official party platform.
Agriculture and Food – Pollinators
Whereas: Bees and other pollinators are
responsible for at least a third of the food we eat; and,
Whereas: Bees and other pollinators are in deep trouble –honey bee
colonies are collapsing at an unprecedented rate, a problem known as Colony
Collapse Disorder; and,
Whereas: Pesticides, especially systemic
pesticides, are a key contributor to Colony Collapse Disorder, and they are
unavoidable for foraging bees; and,
Whereas: In fall of 2013, several hives in Minneapolis were killed
by a legal pesticide application; and,
Whereas: The Cities in Minnesota cannot help protect bees, pets, or
kids from pesticides because the State has preempted local laws regulating “any
matter relating to the registration, labeling, distribution, sale, handling,
use, application, or disposal of pesticides” (Statute 18b.02); and,
Whereas: Systemic pesticides are not consistent with
Integrated Pest Management best practices, and pose particular risks by their
chronic exposure to bees and other beneficial insects; and,
Whereas: Though the State requires licensed
pesticide applicators to inform them of every application, this information is
not available to the public,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the ____________ Party supports
addressing the crisis facing pollinators through three statute changes:
1) Give municipalities the authority to regulate some
aspects of the sale and use of pesticides for non-agricultural purposes, and
2) Make the information the State of Minnesota already
receives about pesticide applications available to the public, and
3) Require all nurseries, garden shops, hardware stores and
any business selling plants, to let the public know whether or not the plant
has been treated in any way with systemic pesticides from the neonicotinoid
family.
see: https://www.lwvmn.org/sites/default/files/downloads/2016%20Caucus%20Resolutions%20Final.pdf for
all of the League of Women Voters prepared resolutions if interested.
Elizabeth Welty
Executive Director
Honey Bee Club of Stillwater
