Bees pollinate a significant majority of the world’s food. In North America alone, honey bees pollinate nearly 95 kinds of fruits, including almonds, avocados, cranberries and apples. We all rely on bees — and the pollination services they provide — every day.
But bees are in real trouble. In combination with other factors like habitat loss and disease, industrial agriculture’s heavy reliance on pesticides — particularly neonicotinoids — has contributed to dramatic declines in pollinator populations.
Since 2006, commercial beekeepers have reported average annual losses of 29% – 45 %, with some losses up to 100%. This is unprecedented.
While federal policymakers remain stuck on this issue, local communities have been stepping up to support bees and other pollinators. Across the country, people are creating pesticide-free “honey bee havens” with ample pollinator habitat and access to fresh water. From backyards to neighborhoods and cities, each haven helps protect the pollinators responsible for one in three bites of food we eat.
At Pesticide Action Network (PAN) North America, we work to create a just, thriving food system. For too long, pesticide and biotech corporations have dictated how we grow food, placing the health and economic burdens of pesticide use on farmers, beekeepers, farmworkers and rural communities. PAN works with those on the frontlines to tackle the pesticide problem — and reclaim the future of food and farming.
For more information about PAN, visit www.panna.org. For more information about PAN’s work to support healthy pollinators, visit www.panna.org/bees.
When it was first launched, this website was a joint project between Pesticide Action Network and Beyond Pesticides. The site — originally made possible by funding from the CERES Foundation — was part of our collective campaign to support bees and other pollinators being harmed by commonly used pesticides. While our collaborative work continues, this site is now solely operated by PAN.
