CALIFORNIA HONEYBEES may be getting their own health plan.

With bee populations declining across the country, the California Assembly has passed a measure led by Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom, D-Tracy, to create a “Honeybee Health Program” under the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The bill will next be considered by the state Senate.

The crisis isn’t as much about honey production as it is the critical role that bees play in pollinating nut trees and other crops. A survey by the Apiary Inspectors of America found that 55.1% of the bee colonies checked had died off in the year that ended April 1, 2024 — the highest rate since the 2010-11 survey.

“They say the Central Valley is America’s breadbasket, but if we can’t protect our bees, the breadbasket will go empty” Ransom said in a statement. Her district includes most of Stockton and a large swath of the San Joaquin Valley.

California’s agricultural sector, the largest in the U.S., depends on pollination for the successful cultivation of over 90 crops, including almonds, berries, melons and many fruits and vegetables, the new legislation shows.

In San Joaquin County, three of the top 10 cash crops — almonds, cherries and blueberries — all require bees for pollination.

Bees on the brink

A study published in March in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said that of the major pollinators, bees are most at risk of extinction. And entomologists at Washington State University have warned that 70% of commercial honeybee colonies could die off this year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture cited “lower bee flight hours”as one of the reasons why this year’s almond crop got off to a slow start in San Joaquin County, although it later rebounded. Expectations are now good for the season.

The county’s cherry crop, however, has not fared as well. Blistering summer heat, which produced 41 days with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, diminished the fruit. And strong winds hindered the ability of bees to pollinate the blossoms.

“When crops fail, it’s not just a bad season, it’s an existential threat to local families and our entire economy.” Rep. Josh Harder

San Joaquin County filed a disaster declaration with the state Office of Emergency Services in an effort to bring aid to cherry growers.

“When crops fail, it’s not just a bad season, it’s an existential threat to local families and our entire economy,” U.S. Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, said in announcing a $3 million USDA buyout of dried sweet cherries.

Ransom’s bill, AB 1042, is aimed at strengthening bee populations through research, education and practices intended in order to support the sustainability of California’s agricultural ecosystems. The assemblymember’s office says it will offer incentives for commercial beekeepers and farmers who adopt practices that make more pollination possible.

This story originally appeared in Stocktonia.