California’s almond bloom requires truckloads of bees to help pollinate around 1 million acres of trees. However, when keepers went to prepare the shipments, they got a devastating surprise.
“So as the beekeepers are starting to look, they open up the colonies, and this year they found a lot lower survival than they expected. In addition to that, the colonies that were surviving were small and dwindling, and it was not at all what they predicted,” said Danielle Downey.
Downey runs a group called Project Apis M, or “PAM.” She says they immediately began to investigate what went wrong.
“They called scientists, and right now they’re looking for viruses. They’ve sent the wax and pollen off for pesticide analysis. So all of that’s underway. And PAm’s role was to gather information from the industry from beekeepers.”
Commercial bee colonies lost around 60 percent of their populations between last June and this month. Officials say that number is well above historical averages and they still do not know what caused the kill off.
Smaller cow numbers and a declining calf crop point to prolonged tight cattle supplies, limiting near-term herd rebuilding potential.
January 30, 2026 03:42 PM
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University of Nebraska President Dr. Jeffrey Gold joined us with important insights on drug safety and rural health during the winter months.
January 30, 2026 03:28 PM
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Quinn Rutt of Upstream Ranch previews the Nebraska cattle operation’s 49th Annual Production Sale where buyers can expect standout sire groups and a blend of long-standing ranch practices with modern genetic selection.
January 30, 2026 03:23 PM
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Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, provides new updates on winter storm impacts and the outlook for rural power reliability.
January 30, 2026 02:59 PM
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Jessi Grote from the AgriSafe Network provides winter safety guidance for rural communities still recovering from the recent winter storm.
January 30, 2026 01:42 PM
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CattleCon 2026 officially kicks off Tuesday and continues through Thursday, bringing producers together to shape the future of the U.S. cattle industry.
January 30, 2026 01:30 PM
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