WHEREAS, pollinators contribute more than 24 billion dollars to the United States economy annually, with 15 billion dollars coming from honeybees alone; and
WHEREAS, bee and other pollinator populations are integral to the global agricultural sector of the economy; and
WHEREAS, domestically managed honeybee populations dropped from approximately 6 million colonies in 1947 to roughly 2.5 million colonies in 2018; and
WHEREAS, declining pollinator populations are believed to be caused by a combination of stressors, such as inadequate diets, natural habitat loss, diseases, loss of genetic diversity, and exposure to potentially harmful pesticides; and
WHEREAS Colony Collapse Disorder is also a major contributor to pollinator deaths and is believed to be caused by pathogen and pesticide poisoning, as well as other environmental stressors; and
WHEREAS, bees used to pollinate food crops in the United States frequently come into contact with pesticides and fungicides, some at lethal doses; and
WHEREAS, bees that contacted pollen contaminated with fungicides can end up three times more likely to be infected with parasites closely associated with Colony Collapse Disorder; and
WHEREAS, many states have enacted legislation aimed at increasing public awareness of pollinator population loss and implementing preventive measures to decrease the rate of pollinator deaths in the United States; and
WHEREAS, several federal agencies have created policies to further research the causes and detriments of bee and other pollinator population losses; and
WHEREAS, little Congressional legislative action to address pollinator population loss has been attempted since 2015; and
WHEREAS, preventing harm to pollinators and promoting pollinator health are argued to be the best methods to prevent bee and other pollinator populations from reaching near-extinction levels in the near future.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the 150th General Assembly call upon the Congress of the United States to take action to protect pollinator populations by passing legislation to increase federal research regarding factors that may be detrimental to pollinator health and to raise public awareness of pollinator population losses, the global effects of pollinator deaths, and how to prevent further pollinator population loss and consequent environmental and economic degradation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, the presiding officers of the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as each Congressional member from the State of Delaware.
