Marques Chavez
Keystone Policy Center
A recent nationwide survey of beekeepers has revealed catastrophic honey bee colony losses across the United States, with commercial operations reporting an average loss of 62 percent between June 2024 and February 2025. Those alarming losses, which surpass historical trends, could significantly impact U.S. agriculture, particularly crop pollination for almonds, fruits, vegetables and other essential food sources.
kAm“t2C=J C6A@CED @7 D6G6C6 4@=@?J =@DD6D 3682? A@FC:?8 :? =2DE >@?E9 7C@> 366<66A6CD 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ[” D2:5 s2?:6==6 s@H?6J[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 !C@;64E pA:D >] “x? C6DA@?D6[ 2 >F=E:\@C82?:K2E:@?2= H@C<:?8 8C@FA \\ :?4=F5:?8 !C@;64E pA:D >][ E96 p>6C:42? q66<66A:?8 u656C2E:@? 2?5 E96 p>6C:42? w@?6J !C@5F46CD pDD@4:2E:@? \\ BF:4<=J >@3:=:K65 E@ =2F?49 E9:D DFCG6J] %96 8@2= H2D E@ 2DD6DD E96 D4@A6 2?5 D6G6C:EJ @7 E96 =@DD6D[ 82E96C 4C:E:42= >2?286>6?E 52E2 2?5 96=A 8F:56 C6D62C49 677@CED E@ 56E6C>:?6 A@E6?E:2= 42FD6D]”k^Am
kAm+24 qC@H?:?8[ 2 7@FCE9\86?6C2E:@? 4@>>6C4:2= 366<66A6C 2?5 3@2C5 492:C>2? @7 !C@;64E pA:D >][ D2:5[ “x?:E:2= DFCG6J C6DF=ED @7 4@=@?J =@DD6D DF886DE E92E 4@>>6C4:2= 366<66A6CD >2J 92G6 =@DE :? 6I46DD @7 e_ A6C46?E @7 E96:C 366D] %96 D42=6 @7 E96D6 =@DD6D :D 4@>A=6E6=J F?DFDE2:?23=6] w@?6J 366D 2C6 E96 324<3@?6 @7 @FC 7@@5 DJDE6>[ A@==:?2E:?8 E96 4C@AD E92E 7665 @FC ?2E:@?] x7 H6 4@?E:?F6 E@ D66 =@DD6D 2E E9:D C2E6[ H6 D:>A=J H@?’E 36 23=6 E@ DFDE2:? 4FCC6?E 7@@5 AC@5F4E:@?] %96 :?5FDECJ >FDE =@@< :?H2C5 2?5 @FEH2C5 7@C D@=FE:@?D E@ 49C@?:4 366 962=E9 72:=FC6]”k^Am
