U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, concerned that state beekeepers lost an average of 30 percent of their hives to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in 2013, wants USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to expand a $3 million study of bee losses in the Midwest to also cover the Northeastern United States. “The alarming decline of the bee population comes at a steep price for our environment, our farms, and our economy," Gillibrand said in a statement. "It is critical for the USDA make this investment here in New York to respond to Colony Collapse Disorder, and help revive New York’s farms.” New York State has an estimated 52,000 beehives, each of which produce approximately 51 pounds of honey, ranking the state the tenth in honey production. Throughout the U.S., 45 percent of beehives were lost last year from the transmission of CCD, according to Gillibrand. See the full Gillibrand statement below.



PollinatorHealthLetter