It may seem like a strange time of the year to be concerned about the state of honeybees but thanks to a recently released report, Pennsylvania now has a Pollinator Protection Plan.
Representatives from a variety of organizations including the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the state Beekeepers Association and the state Vegetable Growers Association, released the plan Monday at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
The plan began in 2014 with a memorandum from President Obama that encouraged coordinating of efforts to improve pollinator health. According to Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, the plan is just the first step in a needed collaboration to reverse declining bee populations.
“I can say that our plan is the envy of all the other states that I’ve heard of because of its comprehensive nature and the ability to balance the needs of all these different pollinators and different stakeholders,” Dr. Christina Grozinger with the Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State said. “It is not about pointing fingers, it’s about building a coalition of stakeholders that believe that pollinators are important to Pennsylvania and that everybody, whether you’re a producer of those crops in Pennsylvania or a citizen in one of our local communities, everybody has a vested interest in making sure that we have a healthy pollinator community.”
This integrated strategy is the work of 36 individuals representing 29 state and national organizations and stakeholders. The plan will be updated annually as needed.
Written By: Ryan Saeler for the Butler Radio Network