1.7 Domestic Bee Protection

The continued production of high quality food and fiber crops in the United States depends on the ability of the American beekeeping industry to provide pollination services. Research initiatives conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS) to protect and improve pollination resources have allowed the American beekeeping industry to become the finest in the world.

International trade agreements such as GATT and NAFTA were intended to lower international trade barriers, the effect of which may have contributed to the increase in the recent introduction of undesirable honey bee diseases, parasites, pests, and/or genetic strains of bees into the United States. These recent introductions of bee diseases and pests have increased the burden on American beekeepers to maintain a healthy domestic supply of bees. An example is the Africanized honey bee. The Africanized honey bee (AHB) has characteristics that pose a threat to the United States beekeeping industry and the general public.

It is essential to maintain a healthy domestic bee stock to pollinate crops, and for the production of honey.

NASDA encourages the USDA to vigorously enforce the Federal Honey Bee Act in order to protect the beekeeping industry from introductions of undesirable honey bee diseases, parasites, pests, or genetic strains of bees in the United States. Pollinator and bee disease research programs should also continue to receive adequate funding.

New regulations are being established for the importation of honeybees and related articles. It is therefore important that APHIS has data of the current status and risks of honeybee diseases and pests available so that informed decisions may be made regarding future import requests. NASDA requests that APHIS provide a mechanism similar to the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) for the purpose of establishing an ongoing, coordinated, nationwide survey to document the presence and/or absence of pests and pathogens which affect honeybees.