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.
Mexican livestock officials are emphasizing surveillance and inspection systems to preserve access to the U.S. cattle export market. Texas’ Bovina Feeders explains the rising stakes as the border stays closed.
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University of Arkansas’ Allen Szalanski discusses a news study on rice stink bugs, what it could mean for farmers, and pest management strategies for the future.
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Nutrition policy shifts may influence retail demand across agriculture.
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Weak crop margins and tariff uncertainty are delaying machinery purchases and signaling slower capital investment across U.S. agriculture.
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Farm Bureau Economist Dr. Faith Parum explains the role farm safety net programs play in supporting farm finances as growers head into the 2026 planting season.
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Corn demand is rising thanks to ethanol expansion, yet year-round E15 remains missing from the Farm Bill—leaving farmers questioning the policy gap.
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