For more than a decade, bee keepers have had a hard time keeping colonies alive, and it is a problem they say is still happening, and they blame it largely on climate change.
“We know that that’s affecting them because it’s affecting when flowers are blooming because they’re flowering too early, they’re flowering too late, and it doesn’t match when the bees need that energy. So we’re trying to come up with alternative forage that farmers can plant, that beekeepers can plant, that will help sort of compensate for that difference,” said Lanie Bilodeau, Research Leader at the USDA Bee Laboratory in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
during the 1980s, a 10 percent colony loss was considered normal. However, since then, keepers have reported as much as half their hives either dying or disappearing.
Brad Anderson with AARP joined us to preview AARP Live and discuss the importance of disaster preparedness and family planning.
USDA officials are increasing surveillance and sterile fly dispersal efforts as New World screwworm cases continue growing in Mexico near the Texas border.
Firefighters continue battling multiple wildfires across southwest Kansas as drought conditions fuel fire danger and raise concerns about additional cattle herd liquidation.
Dave Walton with the American Soybean Association joins us to discuss China’s new ag purchase commitments, E15 policy concerns, and spring planting conditions.
Farmers will soon be asked to help shape some of USDA’s most closely watched crop and inventory reports.
Rayburn Electric Cooperative’s Chris Anderson discusses rapid AI data center expansion, mounting pressure on the electric grid, and impacts on agriculture and rural communities.
