Maryland Beekeepers Concerned About Effects of Federal Lab Closure

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is set to decommission the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland, a key site for federal pollinator research. This decision comes at a challenging time for the beekeeping sector, which is facing significant colony losses and threats to honey bee health. The Beltsville Bee Research Laboratory has been a leading facility for studying issues like colony collapse, varroa mite resistance, and viral pathogens, providing essential diagnostic services to beekeepers nationwide, including in Maryland.