Dr. Jennie Durant has been studying the relationship between the almond industry and commercial beekeeping industry since 2012. Her dissertation focused on how commercial beekeepers have changed their management practices over the past 20 years to pollinate for the almond industry, as well as how land use and pesticide policies play a role in shaping honey bee health. As a USDA-NIFA postdoc at UC Davis and University of Oregon, Dr. Durant investigated the barriers and incentives to adopting bee-friendly practices through a survey of the industry and follow-up interviews with almond growers.
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Shutting down federal bee labs threatens bees, beekeepers and the US food system
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to close the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, a 6,500-acre agricultural research station in Maryland that is home to the nation’s premier bee research and disease diagnosis hub. The closure comes at a critical moment for bees.
July 15, 2026
