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Protecting Our Pollinators
• This week, USDA and its partners released the results of the eight annual national survey of honey bee losses. The survey shows good news--fewer honey bee colonies were lost this winter than in previous years. According to survey results, total losses of managed honey bee colonies from all causes were 23.2 percent nationwide.
• That figure is a significant improvement over the 30.5 percent loss reported last winter, but it is still higher than the eight-year average loss of 29.6 percent and still far above the 18.9 percent level of loss that beekeepers say is acceptable for their economic sustainability.
• While we're pleased to see improvement this year, these losses are still too high.
• There is still more work to be done to stabilize honey bee populations and ensure the health of pollinator populations and the health of the American population--nearly one third of our diet, including many berries, nuts, fruits and vegetables, comes from plants pollinated by honey bees and other pollinators.
• That is why USDA continues to aggressively support research and initiatives that will lead to long-term solutions to improve honey bee health.
• Our Agricultural Research Service has put together a program to breed bees that can naturally resist varroa mites, a major factor contributing to honey bee colony declines. Earlier this year, we provided $3 million in technical and financial assistance (Continued on page 19)
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