1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

The Trump regime is threatening literally every aspect of our country’s environmental health, just to line his own pockets with the billions in cut funds. Specifically, the Beltsville Bee Lab is a key part of the often-unappreciated federal research infrastructure that supports the health of pollinators and the nation’s food supply. If the USDA and the USGS move forward with their plans to close bee labs and research sites, the result could be slower responses to bee threats, weaker tracking of native bee populations and diminished pollinator habitat for bees – all of which raise costs and risks for beekeepers, farmers and everyone who depends on the food system.