Farm Bill Holds Much Promise for Beekeepers

The ABF Legislative Committee had been working toward the new Farm Bill for more than two years when it finally became law on June 18 with a veto override.

The legislation contains a variety of provisions that could be a boon to beekeepers, including specific authorizations for beekeeping research, especially for CCD; inclusion of honey bees and other pollinators in cultural practices for conservation programs; listing honey bees in a disaster relief program; and requiring a study of crop insurance to cover the loss of bees.

The provision that offers the most immediate help for beekeepers provides honey bee researchers access to the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. The initiative mandates funding totaling $230 million over the five years of the Farm Bill. Although the proposed legislation did not initially provide for bee research, the beekeeping industry was able to convince the House Agriculture Committee to include “efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators” as a research goal of the initiative.

Less than a month after the Farm Bill became law, USDA announced the availability of $28.4 million for specialty crops research during fiscal year 2008. Under the “threats to pollinators” provision, honey bee researchers may compete for this funding.

The beekeeping industry sought to have honey and bees defined as a specialty crop in the proposed legislation, but this move was opposed by the organized specialty crops industry on the basis that honey already has a marketing loan program.

The honey loan rate will get a boost in the later years of the Farm Bill. It remains at 60 cents for 2008 and 2009 honey, then jumps to 69 cents for the 2010-2012 crop years.

Another Farm Bill provision long sought by some beekeepers added honey to to the eligible foods for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, which provides coupons for low-income seniors to buy fresh, unprepared foods at farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs.

As part of the High Priority Research and Extension Areas, the Farm Bill has a section called the Pollinator Protection Program. This provision allows research and extension grants for a variety of honey bee and pollinator issues, including the sublethal effects of insecticides, herbicides,and fungicides on honey bees and native and managed pollinators. Funding, up to $10 million per year must be secured through the appropriations process.

The Secretary of Agriculture is directed to increase the USDA effort to address CCD and other long-term threats to pollinator health up to $7.25 million per year, again to be secured through appropriations.

A nationwide honey bee pest and pathogen surveillance program was authorized. This would be conducted by USDA-APHIS, if the Appropriations Committees provide the funds -- up to $2.75 million per year.

New language in the Conservation title added concerns for pollinators, included managed honey bees, to myriad conservation programs, including CRP, WCP, PSP, GCP, border strips and barriers, and conservation stewardship programs. USDA and the participants in the programs are now required to consider the effect of their activities on pollinators and pollinator habitat.

Two Farm Bill provisions are specific to honey. One provides for the transition of the National Honey Board to the new Packer-Importer honey board and the proposed U.S. producer honey board. The other requires that honey labels which bear any official certificate of quality or grade mark or statement must also show the country or countries of origin near the grade mark.