Bayer CropScience: Statement On Annual Winter Honey Bee Loss Survey

Bayer CropScience made the following statement regarding results from a yearly survey of beekeepers:

The survey is encouraging news to everyone who cares about bee health. Overwintering losses of managed honey bee colonies were among the lowest levels seen in the eight years since these surveys have been recorded. Despite the lower winter losses, the annual report also included information on increased summer colony losses, and these results indicate that managed bee colonies remain under serious stress and a critical issue for agriculture. Perhaps the most important factor affecting bee health is the Varroa mite, which the USDA and leading scientists have identified as a primary contributor to colony decline.

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Bayer CropScience is working with state, federal and agricultural stakeholders to develop a comprehensive effort to promote bee health. These efforts include expanding available forage for pollinators, adoption of best management practices for agriculture and apiculture, and more focused research on protecting bees from the invasive Varroa mite. For more than 25 years, Bayer has been committed to finding solutions to improve honey bee health and promote agricultural sustainability. As part of this commitment, we recently opened our new North American Bee Care Center, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to improving bee health through collaborative research, education and training.

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