The White House is addressing the issues brought forth by the declining bee population. Efforts will be made to understand the effects of pesticides on bee and other pollinator populations, and find possible solutions to thwart the collapse of bee colonies.
While scientists don't yet have a reason for the recent deaths of bee and butterfly colonies, they believe exposure to multiple stresses such as parasites, lack of proper nutrition, and pesticides.
Obama is establishing the Pollinator Health Task Force to attack these issues. The team will be led by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and will have representatives from multiple other departments. In 180 days, the team will have a strategy to meet the goals of "understanding, preventing, and recovering from pollinator losses," according to the memorandum by President Obama that the White House released on Friday, June 20.
Honeybee pollination accounts for $15 billion worth of crops, giving us the vegetables and fruits we need. The environmental and economic impact that will follow extreme loss of honeybees, native bees, birds, bats, and butterflies, all of which are experiencing population declines, demands attention.
Obama will also strive for more education on pollinator loss and public education campaigns to increase awareness about the dangers of the declining population. He recommends partnerships between the public and private sectors to protect pollinators and improve their habitats.
He encourages "pollinator-friendly practices" including using pollinator plants, specifically designing landscapes for protection of pollinator habitats, and other such restoration efforts.
The Environmental Protection Agency will look at pesticides as a factor in the population decline and will specifically study the effects of neonicotinoids, which are neuro-active insecticides. Research is narrowing in on the chemical as a culprit in what scientists are calling colony collapse disorder (CCD). Beekeepers in the U.S. alone have lost 10 million beehives, according to the White House memorandum factsheet.
Obama's budget for 2015 includes a recommendation for $50 million in the USDA to improve research efforts and pollinator habitats, and set aside acres of land dedicated to pollinators.
While the administration is taking steps, many do not think it will be enough.
Some environmentalists believe that the measures Obama outlined are still not drastic enough to ensure the protection of pollinators. The EPA hopes that the current re-evaluation of certain pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, will lead to stricter policies regarding their use.
