It seems to me that they can't have tested this on humans very much.

The neonicotinoids used in the coatings protect the seed from pests in the soil and, as the crop matures, the chemical is absorbed into the plant's tissue, where it continues to paralyze and kill insects that chomp on the crop.

Neonics work by binding to insects' nervous systems and paralyzing or killing them. It's effective, but it impacts more than just pests.

Farming is a super challenging business, especially if you aren't some kind of mega farm. I don't know why anyone would try to do it.

farmers say that without the insecticide, they would have to resort to more damaging pest-control practices—like treating an entire field with chemicals. If the state were to restrict the use of seeds coated with neonicotinoids—also called neonics—few sources of non-coated seeds would remain for them to buy, they said.