Casey wants to stop loss of honeybees
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., is urging federal agencies to update the plan to stem the loss of honeybees after 30 percent of the managed honeybee population died over the winter.
Casey recently sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environmental Protection urging the agencies to update the federal action plan on how to mitigate honeybee population loss. The declining honeybee population could have a substantial impact on Pennsylvania’s $57 billion agriculture industry. State farmers grow a variety of pollinated crops, including apples, pumpkins and potatoes, which support jobs and economic growth.
“Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry is a major driver of economic growth and job creation across the commonwealth,” Casey said. “Helping our state’s farmers grapple with the declining honeybee population will aid our state’s economy and help our farmers continue to support economic growth.”
In the United States, pollination by honey bees, native bees and other insects produces $40 billion worth of products, annually. Globally, pollinators are used to produce about one-third of the food supply, a value of between $200 and $300 billion.