Sacramento, California - As the health of European honey bees and other pollinators continues to be a top priority for scientists around the country, CDFA has introduced a Pollinator Protection web page as a resource for Californians and others interested in the issue.

The web page features links to programs detailing CDFA’s commitment to protecting pollinators in the course of its work controlling and eradicating invasive species; a link to information for beekeepers bringing bees through Border Inspection Stations into California; and information about permit requirements, county apiary services and the Africanized honey bee.

Bees are essential to food supplies in California and around the world. The state’s almond industry requires over 1.6 million colonies of bees to pollinate their crop. Over 1.2 million bee colonies, or approximately 2,600 truckloads of bee hives, come from out of state. Additionally, those bees pollinate roughly one-third of the state’s crops, helping to create foods like cherries, broccoli and onions.