Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

Bee decline could raise food costs more, panel told
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008020270_bees27.html

Food prices could rise even more unless the mysterious decline in honeybees 
is solved, farmers and businessmen told lawmakers Thursday.

By The Associated Press and McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Food prices could rise even more unless the mysterious decline 
in honeybees is solved, farmers and businessmen told lawmakers Thursday.

"No bees, no crops," North Carolina grower Robert Edwards told a House 
Agriculture subcommittee.

A record 36 percent of U.S. commercial bee colonies have been lost so far 
this year and worse may be yet to come, experts told the panel.

Colony collapse disorder is characterized by a sudden decline in a bee 
colony's population and the inexplicable absence of dead bees.

Possible explanations for the disorder, first reported in 2006, include 
pesticides; a new parasite or pathogen; and the combination of 
immunity-suppressing stresses such as poor nutrition, limited or contaminated 
water supplies, and the need to move bees long distances for pollination.

"What seemed to be an aberration has unfortunately turned into a full-fledged 
crisis," said Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif., chairman of the House 
horticulture and organic agriculture subcommittee, which convened the hearing.

Ice-cream maker Haagen-Dazs and natural personal-care products company Burt's 
Bees have pledged money for research.

The problem affects about 40 percent of Haagen-Dazs' 73 flavors, including 
banana split and chocolate peanut butter, because ingredients such as 
almonds, cherries and strawberries rely on honeybees for pollination.

The House Appropriations Committee approved $780,000 on Thursday for research 
on the disorder and $10 million for bee research. The money awaits approval 
by the full House and Senate.