Missoula County supports HB 410: Pollinator protection act, up for hearing this afternoon in the House Agriculture Committee. Thank you, Representative Olsen, for sponsoring this bill. Wild pollinators are estimated to provide at least $3.07 billion a year in economic services to agriculture via crop pollination in the United States. Honey bees provide an estimated $2.1-6.8 billion per year. However, wild pollinators and honey bee populations have seen drastic declines in populations due to increases in parasites, disease and habitat loss. Domestic honey bees alone have declined by as much as 60% since the mid-1940s. This bill would provide funding to support county weed districts to develop pollinator protection plans as part of their noxious weed management plans. That funding would be used to purchase seed necessary for revegetation efforts in areas treated or managed for noxious weeds. These seeding projects would provide the dual benefit of providing better pollinator habitat and competitive desired vegetation to prevent re-infestation of noxious weeds.
Representatives Olsen, Curdy and Sullivan,
ReplyDeleteMissoula County supports HB 410: Pollinator protection act, up for hearing this afternoon in the House Agriculture Committee. Thank you, Representative Olsen, for sponsoring this bill. Wild pollinators are estimated to provide at least $3.07 billion a year in economic services to agriculture via crop pollination in the United States. Honey bees provide an estimated $2.1-6.8 billion per year. However, wild pollinators and honey bee populations have seen drastic declines in populations due to increases in parasites, disease and habitat loss. Domestic honey bees alone have declined by as much as 60% since the mid-1940s. This bill would provide funding to support county weed districts to develop pollinator protection plans as part of their noxious weed management plans. That funding would be used to purchase seed necessary for revegetation efforts in areas treated or managed for noxious weeds. These seeding projects would provide the dual benefit of providing better pollinator habitat and competitive desired vegetation to prevent re-infestation of noxious weeds.
Please support HB 410.