Michigan legislators have responded to the declining honeybee population by introducing several bills aimed at protecting bees, as well as other pollinators crucial to Michigan’s agriculture industry.
According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the honeybee population has been facing continued decline since 2006. The loss of an important source of pollination has led to efforts to monitor and make plans to reduce population loss on a national level. Michigan has been involved in such measures, beginning with developing the Managed Pollinator Protection Plan in 2016 to monitor and manage pesticide use and its exposure to pollinators. The new bills will be providing another avenue to address loss of bee population in Michigan.
The Detroit Free Press has reported that the bills would create both a Pollinator Health Advisory Council, tasked with providing advice to the state on ways to improve a healthy bee population, as well as a Pollinator Preservation Fund to provide grants for programs that support the development of healthy bee habitats.