Big agriculture is killing our bees. We’ll all pay the price | Jennie Durant
Summary
Bees in the US are dying at dangerous rates, largely due to practices in large-scale farming and food production. Commercial beekeepers face many challenges like pests, pesticides, loss of natural bee habitats, and cuts to government research supporting bee health.Key Facts
- Last winter, commercial beekeepers lost over 60% of their bee colonies, the worst loss recorded.
- Bees help pollinate more than 130 fruits, nuts, and vegetables worth over $15 billion to the US food system.
- Each February, over 2 million bee colonies are transported to California to pollinate almonds, the largest pollination event worldwide.
- Bees face threats from varroa mites, diseases, pesticide exposure, and stress from constant movement and feeding supplements.
- Pesticide rules may not fully reflect harm from some chemicals, like fungicides, that affect bee health.
- Many natural habitats like grasslands have been lost to farming biofuel crops, reducing food sources for bees.
- The USDA is closing the Beltsville Bee Research Lab, a key center that has supported beekeepers for over 90 years.
- The USDA plans to close more than half of its Forest Service research sites, which manage public lands important for bees.
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