A new report issued by the USDA, subtly asks the question: "Is there really a crisis?"

Improved nutrition for pollinators can be part of the solution: a body of research suggests that if pollinators eat better, they can better withstand other stressors. This can be achieved by modifying the Nation’s land-use/land-cover (LULC) patterns so as to provide pollinators with higher quality forage—the pollen and nectar from blooming plants. LULC can affect both native pollinators and managed honey bees. While more research is needed on these topics, a strategy that is best for one *may not be best for the other.*

 The health of honey bees is managed primarily by beekeepers. Improving the living environment for honey bees, such as by enhancing the extent and quality of honey bee-friendly land covers in the Northern Great Plains, may provide important insurance against sudden and widespread colony losses. The extent to which beekeeper inputs, such as mite-killing insecticides, supplemental feed, and new queens, complement or even substitute for better forage remains uncertain. *Is there really a crisis* that requires LULC change intervention? If so, will market solutions arise? 

Hellerstein, Daniel, Claudia Hitaj, David Smith, and Amélie Davis. Land Use, Land Cover, and Pollinator Health: A Review and Trend Analysis, ERR-232, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, June 2017.

Access this report online: www.ers.usda.gov/publications/

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