Issues We Track
Evidence-based positions on the forces shaping pollinator health in North America
The Apiary Project monitors, documents, and takes positions on the policy, environmental, and industry issues that affect bees - managed and wild - across the United States. These aren't op-eds. They're positions built on data, research, and field observation. Where the evidence leads, we follow. Where it's uncertain, we say so.
Neonicotinoids & Pesticide Policy
Three neonicotinoid compounds - imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam - account for roughly 25% of the global insecticide market. The EU restricted their outdoor use in 2018. The US has not. The EPA's risk assessments acknowledge harm to pollinators. The regulatory response remains incomplete.
Pollinator Habitat Loss
The United States has lost an estimated 150 million acres of pollinator habitat since 1992. CRP enrollment peaked at 36.8 million acres in 2007 and has declined since. Highway medians, utility corridors, and urban green spaces represent an underutilized habitat network. The math is simple: fewer flowers, fewer pollinators.
Honey Fraud & Labeling Standards
An estimated 30-70% of honey on US grocery shelves has been adulterated, ultra-filtered, or mislabeled. The FDA has no standard of identity for honey. State-level standards vary. The economic harm falls on domestic beekeepers who can't compete with fraudulent imports priced below the cost of production.
The Varroa Crisis & Colony Losses
Annual managed colony losses have averaged 30-45% nationwide for the past decade. Varroa destructor remains the primary driver. The mite has been in North America since 1987 and has fundamentally altered what it means to keep bees. Treatment resistance is emerging. Breeding programs offer long-term hope but no short-term solution.
Native Pollinator Decline
The US hosts approximately 4,000 native bee species. Population monitoring exists for fewer than 40% of them. Available data shows regional decline rates of 23-57% over the past decade. Specialist pollinators - species dependent on specific plant genera - face the steepest losses. Federal funding overwhelmingly targets managed honeybees, not the native species that pollinate 80% of wild plants.
Climate Change & Pollinator Timing
Spring bloom dates have shifted 8-14 days earlier across temperate North America over the past 30 years. Pollinator emergence timing has not shifted at the same rate. The resulting mismatch - flowers blooming before their pollinators are active - disrupts co-evolved relationships. Range shifts are pushing some species northward while their food plants lag behind.
How We Approach Issues
Evidence First
Every position starts with peer-reviewed research, federal data, and field observation. We cite sources. We quantify uncertainty. We distinguish between what the data shows and what we interpret from it. When evidence is incomplete - which it often is - we say so explicitly rather than filling the gap with opinion.
Positions, Not Advice
The Apiary Project takes organizational positions on policy and conservation issues. We do not tell individual beekeepers or landowners what to do. There's a distinction between "The Apiary Project supports pollinator-safe pesticide regulations" and "You should stop using pesticides." We operate in the former space.
Updated Continuously
Issues pages are living documents. When new research is published, when policies change, when our monitoring data reveals new trends - we update. Issue pages include revision dates and changelog notes. Transparency about what changed and when is non-negotiable.
Stay Informed
Our blog covers these issues in depth through ongoing reporting and analysis. The issues pages above provide the summary position. The blog provides the narrative.
Read Our Latest Analysis