I am writing as a constituent to strongly urge your support in preserving the Beltsville Bee Lab, a crucial federal facility that is now facing closure under USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins’ proposal to dismantle the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center.
Honey bees play a vital role in our nation’s agriculture and food security by pollinating crops that sustain both farmers and consumers. If the U.S. aims to increase its food production, as suggested by current policy goals, we cannot afford to weaken the infrastructure that supports the health of pollinators. The Beltsville Bee Lab stands out as the only agency or private corporation that provides the specialized services it does.
The Lab offers free testing for dangerous honey bee diseases such as American and European Foulbrood. The results are promptly shared with state inspectors, enabling them to contain outbreaks effectively. This system not only protects individual beekeepers but also safeguards entire agricultural regions, ensuring stable crop yields and safeguarding our food supply.
Closing the Beltsville Bee Lab would leave beekeepers without a reliable diagnostic resource, potentially undermining pollinator health and threatening the stability of our food system. I respectfully request your opposition to any budgetary or administrative actions that would lead to its closure and your advocacy for its continued federal funding.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and for your unwavering commitment to protecting America’s agricultural future.
Sign Petition
