- Future of Food
Obama Unveils Plan to Reverse Alarming Decline of Honeybees
The White House released three goals for saving honeybees and other pollinators, which are crucial to the nation's economy. But money isn't enough, one expert says.
The White House announced a new plan for halting the precipitous decline in honeybees and other pollinators on Tuesday, winning praise from scientists and farmers worried about the collapse of bee colonies but also illustrating the difficulty of bringing back insects crucial for sustaining the food supply.
"The problem is serious and requires immediate attention to ensure the sustainability of our food production systems, avoid additional economic impact on the agricultural sector, and protect the health of the environment," U.S. President Barack Obama wrote in a memorandum announcing the plan. (Read "Quest for a Superbee" in National Geographic magazine.)
More than half of managed U.S. honeybee colonies have mysteriously disappeared in the past ten years. Honeybees
