A Victory for Bees
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced it will resume data collection for its annual Honey Bee Colonies report.1
This news comes after the USDA cut honeybee research earlier this summer. While the temporary suspension will leave a gap in this year’s data, we are thrilled that the USDA has listened to our message and decided not to discount honeybees.
Your support played a role in this victory. Because of activists like you, Environmental Action was able to deliver more than 21,000 emails to the USDA, urging them to reopen research on honeybee colonies.
The USDA annual Honey Bee Colonies report is a vital tool for monitoring and understanding colony collapse disorder. With this resource, scientists and policymakers will be able to more effectively analyze the effects of climate change and pesticides on honeybees, and, hopefully, develop a strategy for defending them.
We still have much to do to save the bees — including restricting the use of toxic pesticides and expanding bee habitat — but thanks to you, we are making steady progress in protecting these vital pollinators.
Our work depends on supporters like you. Thank you for making it all possible.
1. Sam Fossum, “USDA Will Resume Honeybee Survey Suspended this Summer,” CNN, September 13, 2019.