Restore USDA Bee Research Funding to ensure food securely!

Protecting honeybee populations is crucial for sustaining America’s food, production and agriculture. The catastrophic bee colony losses experienced this past winter with an estimated of 62% of commercial colonies, perishing, highlights the urgency of addressing this issue. Funding cuts to vital USDA research programs have hampered efforts to promptly identify and mitigate the factors responsible for these alarming die offs. Without swift intervention, beekeepers face intense challenges in rebuilding their colonies, jeopardizing crop pollination and threatening economic stability for beekeepers and the farms they service. The USDA‘s bee research laboratories pay a pivotal role in rapidly pinpointing the causes of colony losses, enabling beekeepers to implement effective counter measures. However, staffing reductions and resource constraints due to DOGE cuts have compromised the agency’s ability to deliver timely analysis leaving beekeepers unable to respond effectively. Reversing the detrimental cuts to USDA programs is imperative to safeguard the nations food system, and support the livelihoods of commercial beekeepers. Consistent, well-funded research efforts are essential to understanding and mitigating the complex factors threatening bee populations. Congress must prioritize USDA laboratory funding so proactive steps can be taken to protect these vital pollinators and ensure a resilient and sustainable agriculture sector!