During the past several decades, the steady loss of pollinators like honey bees, native bees, birds, bats, and butterflies has increasingly threatened agricultural stability and economics. In a presidential memo released last year, Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators, the White House stated that this rising loss requires immediate attention in order to “ensure the sustainability of our food production systems, avoid additional economic impact on the agricultural sector, and protect the health of the environment.”
Kelly Registration Systems, which is already working with the departments of agriculture in several states, has developed a South Carolina application to map beehives and allow pesticide applicators to notify beekeepers of applications in the area to help prevent the accidental poisoning of honey bees. The official program is available as soon as next month and is being rolled out to other states as well.