In part two of our Massachusetts policy update, we’re spotlighting the pesticide-related bills NOFA/Mass is advocating for in the 2025-26 legislative session. NOFA/Mass has a long track record of fighting for stronger pesticide protections in Massachusetts, and in recent years we’ve helped secure major wins – the establishment of a Conservationist Pesticide Advisory Council, restrictions on harmful neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics), a legislative commission to review glyphosate’s health and environmental risks, and the passage of a consolidated bill in early 2023 to improve pesticide reporting. These wins reflect growing momentum for stronger, science-based pesticide protections across the Commonwealth.

Glyphosate–the active ingredient in Roundup–is one of the most widely used and controversial pesticides in the world. Its (over)use is a major contributor to global biodiversity loss, including steep declines in pollinator populations. Human exposure has been linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, liver disease, cancer, and more. Because we have written about glyphosate and other pesticides in detail in the past, we won’t go into the finer details of their impacts here. Check out the resources posted at the bottom of this newsletter to learn more!

Several of these bills that NOFA/Mass is advocating for this session are “re-files” from the previous session. Some have even gone through the cycle several times, picking up momentum in each subsequent term. The primary substance of these bills has remained the same, with just minor tweaks around the edges for clarity and focus.

One such re-file is “An Act Relative to the Pesticide Board” (H.932/S.617) presented by Representative Mindy Domb (3rd Hampshire) Senator Jason Lewis (5th Middlesex). This bill proposes the creation of a pesticide control modernization and environmental protection task force. The task force would include high ranking civil servants like the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the Commissioner of Agricultural Resources, plus more than 20 professionals from specific fields of expertise. Input from a wide variety of stakeholders would improve the ability of the commonwealth to prevent and mitigate adverse impacts of pesticide use on public health and the environment.

Two priority bills for NOFA/Mass in the previous session continue to be points of emphasis in 2025-26. The first is “An Act Relative to Improving Pesticide Protections for Massachusetts School Children” (H.124/S.64) presented by Representatives Gentile (13th Middlesex) and Keefe (15th Worcester) and Senator Lewis (5th Middlesex). Many Massachusetts schools and child care centers permit the use of an arsenal of toxic pesticides on outdoor grounds, including glyphosate and 2,4-D, potentially endangering children’s health. This bill would limit the pesticide products eligible for use on the outdoor grounds of schools, child care centers, and playgrounds. The second bill is “An Act Governing the Use of Pesticides Containing the Herbicide Substance Glyphosate in the Commonwealth” (H.950/S.625) presented by Representative Gentile (13th Middlesex) and Senator Lewis (5th Middlesex). In short, this bill would restrict the purchase and use of glyphosate-containing herbicides to licensed pesticide applicators and remove such products from retail stores.

“An Act Relative to the Use of Glyphosate on Public Lands” (S.627) presented by Senator Lewis (5th Middlesex) would end the application of glyphosate on any public lands owned by the commonwealth without a special permit (and only when the situation poses an immediate threat to human health and the environment). “An Act Establishing an Ecologically Based Mosquito Management Program in the Commonwealth to Protect Public Health” (H.985/S.547) presented by Representative LaNatra (12th Plymouth) and Senator Comerford (Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester) would replace the Commonwealth’s outdated and expensive mosquito management system with one that is more effective, affordable, transparent, and ecologically responsible. This would be an important step in ending the broadscale aerial application of pesticides and instead shifting towards a scientifically based mosquito-borne disease management program to protect public health while minimizing environmental and public health risks. See NOFA/Mass’ fact sheet about this bill and the MassQuito resources page at the bottom of the newsletter for more information about aerial spraying.

Another bill we’re advocating for attempts to give local control over pesticide use back to municipalities and local governments. “An Act Empowering Vulnerable Municipalities to Protect Residents and the Environment from Harmful Pesticides” (H.954), presented by Representative Gentile (13th Middlesex) would restore the right of cities and towns to enact local pesticide regulations more stringent than state standards, reversing decades-old preemption laws. Prior to the 1978 Massachusetts Pesticide Control Act, Massachusetts municipalities had the right to restrict pesticides on all public and private land within their jurisdiction. However, pressure from the pesticide industry in the 1970s led many states across the country to pass legislation which prohibits cities and towns from adopting local pesticide ordinances that are more restrictive than state regulations. Cities and towns in Massachusetts currently have little to no say in which chemicals are used in their communities. This bill would return power to communities to protect their families, food, and water from dangerous pesticide exposure. Local governments would be able to restrict or prohibit the use, application, or disposal of pesticides within their municipalities that are more stringent than the standards currently set by the state and federal governments.

These efforts in Massachusetts reflect a broader national battle over pesticide regulation. Bills regarding glyphosate have received substantial attention over the past couple years, and pesticide producers have used their strong lobbying presence on Capitol Hill to push for legal protection from pesticide-related lawsuits. In 2023, a bill backed by Bayer–the company that acquired Monsanto and now manufactures Roundup–sought to shield pesticide companies from legal liability and override local pesticide restrictions. Local laws that could be undone by such a bill include many that restrict pesticide use near schools and parks, and protect drinking water supplies and wildlife. Massachusetts isn’t immune to this style of lobbying either–companies that produce, sell, or utilize pesticides are speaking to state legislators about the same bills we’ve outlined in this newsletter. That’s why it’s critical for residents to speak up and advocate for common-sense pesticide reforms that prioritize health and ecological sustainability.

If you’re a certified organic farmer in Massachusetts, you should have received an email earlier this year from the Mass NRC (affiliated with MDAR) with a unique login to their Organic Farms Map database where you will be able to ensure that no pesticide applications will affect your farm. If you didn’t receive such an email or you would like more information, please reach out to us at policy@nofamass.org. Massachusetts residents are also able to request exclusion from wide area pesticide applications through MDAR. Keep in mind that exclusion requests must be filed every calendar year.

If you’d like any more information about pesticides or glyphosate, check out some of the resources linked at the bottom of this newsletter. If you are an advocate who is organizing around pesticide use reform, we would love to connect! Or if you’re interested in getting more involved with this issue, please reach out to us. We’re always looking to build our grassroots networks and we encourage you to join us in advocating for healthy farms, food, communities, and environments across the commonwealth. Lastly, keep an eye out for updates later this year about how the bills introduced in this newsletter are making their rounds through the legislature.

Happy Planting,
The NOFA/Mass Policy Team