Pesticides

Tell ConAgra to get pesticides out of our popcorn!

Pollinators are essential for our food, but toxic seed coatings threaten their survival—tell ConAgra to stop using harmful neonicotinoids and protect our bees.

Every third bite of food we eat depends on pollinators – but these essential creatures are under threat from toxic seed coatings. Since the 1990s, U.S. agriculture has become 48 times more toxic to insect life, largely due to neonicotinoid pesticides.

What’s more, studies increasingly show there is a link between neonics and harmful impacts to fetal health and child development.

ConAgra, the company behind Orville Redenbacher's and Act II popcorn, continues to use neonicotinoid-coated seeds in its popcorn supply chain – despite mounting evidence that these coatings harm pollinators while providing little to no benefit to farmers. Other major food companies are already taking action to protect pollinators. It's time for ConAgra to step up!

Sign now to tell ConAgra: Stop using human-harming and bee-killing seed coatings! Protect humans and our pollinators!

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No More Toxic Seed Coatings in Our Popcorn

Dear CEO Sean M. Connelly,

I urge ConAgra to protect pollinators, public health, and our food system by eliminating the use of neonicotinoid-coated seeds in your popcorn supply chain. As one of the nation's largest popcorn providers – through brands like Orville Redenbacher, Act II, and Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP – ConAgra has a unique opportunity to lead positive change in the industry.

The widespread use of neonicotinoid-coated seeds is contributing to a crisis in pollinator health. U.S. agriculture has become nearly 48 times more toxic to insect life since neonicotinoids were introduced in the 1990s. One in three bites of food we eat depends on pollinators, who contribute approximately $34 billion annually to the U.S. economy. The EPA warns that continued use of neonicotinoids could push over 200 threatened and endangered species toward extinction.

While ConAgra has made commendable progress in addressing pesticide use in crops like carrots, peas, and sweet corn, more action is needed. Major retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods, and Giant Eagle have already established pollinator health policies to reduce harmful pesticides in their supply chains. Studies show that neonicotinoid seed coatings provide little to no yield benefits, while posing serious risks to both environmental and human health.

To protect pollinators, people, and the planet, I urge ConAgra to:

Make a time-bound, measurable commitment to eliminate neonicotinoid-coated seeds from your popcorn supply chain
Work with suppliers to implement alternative, least-toxic pest management strategies, including a transition toward organic practices
Act with transparency by publicly disclosing company policies, actions, and progress toward these goals