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.
Industry leaders argue the decision could disrupt confidence in conservation practices and increase regulatory uncertainty for producers across the region.
April 10, 2026 05:00 PM
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A Nebraska rancher says his land may not support cattle this year after 2,000 acres were burned in recent devastating wildfires across the state.
April 10, 2026 03:18 PM
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Brandy Carroll with the Arkansas Farm Bureau shares an update on planting conditions and what producers are facing this season.
April 10, 2026 02:40 PM
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While social media has labeled the possible event a “Godzilla El Niño,” experts say the intensity remains uncertain—but the signal for a stronger pattern is there.
April 10, 2026 01:47 PM
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Farmer John Jenkinson shares the latest on planting conditions in Kansas and what producers are facing this season.
April 10, 2026 12:48 PM
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Missoula lab combines controlled testing with field data to improve wildfire response
April 10, 2026 12:42 PM
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