Reduced number of bee hives

There were ~6M US honey bee hives in the 1940s. Now there are only 2.5M. California almond groves need ~1.6M. Insect pollination ensures a plentiful and diverse food supply. Due to recent declines in pollinator populations the White House launched an initiative to protect pollinator health. As part of this initiative, the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture supports pollinator health research, education, and extension through its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, Crop Protection and Past Management Program and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. .

In an effort to save as many bees as possible that are vulnerable to pesticides commonly used in agriculture, Dr. Ramesh Sagili, an entomologist and Extension bee researcher in Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences has developed a smart phone app that identifies pesticides that are particularly toxic to bees and says he receives phone calls from all over the country including Idaho.