The Buzz on Declining Colonies: The Future of Beekeeping
Four AAEA members present research at 2019 AAEA Annual Meeting
According the American Beekeeping Federation, honey bees are accountable for pollinating apples, cranberries, melons, and even broccoli. Honey bees are responsible for about 90% of blueberry and cherry pollination, while almond production is completely dependent on honey bees. But with the high mortality rates, there is great concern over the security of the world’s food supply.
In a track session, sponsored by the Land, Water, and Environmental Section as well as the Specialty Crop Economics Section within the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, four presentations will look into the honey production in the U.S., the demand for pollination services in almond production, how almond growers have adjusted production practices to decrease risk of pesticide exposure to colonies pollinating almonds, and Apiculture Rainfall Index Insurance, a relatively new insurance product offered by USDA RMA.
Co-organizer, Brittney Goodrich from Auburn University says “I hope people walk away knowing that the bee health issue is not as simple as banning all pesticides, which have often been vilified by the press. Honey bee health is a complex issue, and in order to come up with viable solutions we have to understand the underlying decisions of commercial beekeepers who manage most of the colonies in the U.S.”
The session “The Evolution of the U.S. Beekeeping Industry – The Shift from Producing Honey to Providing Pollination Services amid Elevated Colony Loss” will be on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm in Room M107 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. If you are interested in attending the session, fill out the complimentary Media Registration. Or to set up an interview with any of the authors, please contact Allison Scheetz in the AAEA Business Office. You can also learn more on our Annual Meeting Media Kit page.
About 1,400 participants are expected to attend the 2019 AAEA Annual Meeting, which will take place on July 21-23 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, GA.
ABOUT AAEA: Established in 1910, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with 2,500 members in more than 60 countries. Members of the AAEA work in academic or government institutions as well as in industry and not-for-profit organizations, and engage in a variety of research, teaching, and outreach activities in the areas of agriculture, the environment, food, health, and international development. The AAEA publishes two journals, the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy, as well as the online magazine Choices and the online open access publication series Applied Economics Teaching Resources. To learn more, visit www.aaea.org.
Contact: Allison Scheetz
Senior Communications Manager
(414) 918-3190
Email: ascheetz@aaea.org