A recent surge in bee losses is now impacting Texas beekeepers and may ultimately impact the price to produce.
Since June, commercial beekeepers in Texas have lost nearly two-thirds of their bee colonies.
Nationwide, those financial losses have totaled $635 million. Many now worry it will have a trickle-down effect on fruits and vegetables like watermelons and berries.
While no clear cause for the losses has been pinpointed, mites, pathogens, pesticides, and poor nutrition among bees would all play a role.
Related Stories
Concerns over Chronic Wasting Disease are fueling a long-standing legal battle between Minnesota regulators and deer farmers. The case could soon reach the state’s Supreme Court with broader implications for agriculture.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) are praising the passage of a bill to delist gray wolves as an endangered species by the U.S. House last week.
USDA Undersecretary Luke Lindberg told RFD-TV News that we can only guess what Congress will do down the road. Still, the USDA recognizes its responsibility to spend resources efficiently and effectively.
Tight feeder supplies and lower placements indicate continued support for the cattle market, with regional impacts heightened in Texas by reduced feeder imports.
Michelle Perez shares more about the American Farmland Trust’s resource to help farmers and producers plan soil health improvements.
Jeff Johnston with CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange explains the growing role of Rural America in supporting the nation’s digital infrastructure.