Honeybee population
How has the decline in the honeybee population affected farmers in the United States?
The decline of the honeybee population affects farmers in many ways. Farmers, people who operate and engage in agriculture by raising living organisms for food are essential because they provide the world with food, which is a basic need for human survival. Farmers engage in the required activities and steps to guarantee the proper crops nourishment. However, other external forces are also needed for a successful harvest. For example, a seed must be fertilized so that fruit can form around it. Thus, there is a need for pollinators to transfer pollen grains so that fertilization can occur. Many insects are capable of pollination, but they have small groups with few individuals. Thus, the only insects that can act as pollinators are the honeybees because of their large population. Bees are important because they pollinate the flowering plants in which most are used as human food crops. That is one in three food consumed by humans is from the plants pollinated by bees. Besides, honeybees can be picked and moved from one location to another. With the frequent visits to flowers, the bees increase the chances of complete fertilization. In spite of optimal soil irrigation or pest control, farmers cannot produce crops if the honeybees are not there to pollinate them. Thus, a decline in the honeybee population can negatively affect farm produce. In expounding more on this issue, the essay will discuss how the decline in the honeybee population affected farmers in the United States.
The decline in the honeybee population has reached a critical point in the United States. The scramble in California almond grove has given the United States the taste of what lies ahead with continues decline of the honeybee population. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the country has experienced an annual hive loss of more than 30% (Grossman, 2013). Precisely the beekeepers in the United States have experienced more than 50% through the bee operation meant to transport beehives to facilitate fertilization of California’s almond trees. The primary reason behind the decline of the bee population is the increased number of predators, parasites, and diseases. Examples of such parasites are the tracheal mite and the Varro destructor. The tracheal mites kill the bees by invading their breathing tubes while the Varro destructor feeds on their blood by infecting them with deadly fungi that causes their death. The decline in the bee population in the United States will particularly affect farmers from Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, North Dakota, Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota (KUTNER, 2015). These are the areas that engage in farming crops such as apples, pumpkins, peaches, and watermelons that depend most on pollinators.
The economic challenge is one of the impacts that the decline in the honeybee population affect farmers in the United States. Honeybees as pollinators play a vital role in the economy of the United States. They act as food security because they aid in food production. Bees contribute to the economy of the country as they enable the creation of commercially grown crops in America. Globally, 87 of the leading food crops assessed rely on pollinators, contributing 35% of global food production (The White House, 2014). Pollinators account for more than 24 billion dollars to the United States economy. Out of the 24 billion, honeybee contributes 15billion dollars through their vital role in keeping fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Therefore, given the heavy reliance of certain crops on commercial pollination, decline honeybee populations will present a real threat to the economy. Specifically, it will affect the domestic agriculture of the United States by affecting food production. With fewer honey bees, there will be less fertilization hence limited or reduced farm produce. In return, the farmers will have fewer crops for sale or exportation. Farmers will also incur additional cost so that they can protect their plants. For example, they will be forced to import bees from other places at a fee.
Reduced farm produce is the second way in which farmers will be affected by the reduced in the honeybee population in the United States. Honeybees are essential for successful production of food. They pollinate roughly 80 percent of our flowering crops (Grossman, 2013). A honeybee can visit between 50-1000 flowers in one trip, which takes between 30 minutes to four hours. Reduced number of bees means less pollen transfer and increased time for fertilization. In return, farmers are likely to experience reduced farm produce when there is less pollination or fertilization.
In conclusion, honeybees are the most significant pollinators on earth. They play an essential part of crop production. They are responsible for the production of vast amounts of food, either directly through pollination, or indirectly through helping in the production of food for other plants and animals. To farmers, bees have become one of the most important beneficial insects’.However, the future of these diligent little workers is not so bright because they face threats that lead to their declining population. Thus to secure the future of these insects, people need to protect them. People can reduce the number of pesticides used in food production or use them safely in a way that it does not endanger the health of bees.
References
Grossman, E. (2013). Declining Bee Populations Pose a Threat to Global Agriculture. Yale Environment 360. Retrieved from https://e360.yale.edu/features/declining_bee_populations_pose_a_threat_to_global_agriculture
Kutner, M. (2015). Study Pinpoints Where Wild Bee Declines Will Most Affect Farmers. News Week Tech and Science. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/study-shows-bee-pollinator-declines-affect-farmers-407844
The White House. (2014). Fact Sheet: The Economic Challenge Posed by Declining Pollinator Populations. The white house. Retrieved from https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/20/fact-sheet-economic-challenge-posed-declining-pollinator-populations