Bloomberg writer Alan Bjerga reported yesterday that, “The number of U.S. honeybees, a critical component in the agriculture industry, rose in 2017 from a year earlier, and deaths of the insects attributed to a mysterious malady that’s affected hives in North America and Europe declined, according a U.S. Department of Agriculture honeybee health survey released Tuesday.

“The number of commercial U.S. honeybee colonies rose 3 percent to 2.89 million as of April 1, 2017 compared with a year earlier, the Agriculture Department reported. The number of hives lost to Colony Collapse Disorder, a phenomenon of disappearing bees that has raised concerns among farmers and scientists for a decade, was 84,430 in this year’s first quarter, down 27 percent from a year earlier. Year-over-year losses declined by the same percentage in April through June, the most recent data in the survey.

“Still, more than two-fifths of beekeepers said mites were harming their hives, and with pesticides and other factors still stressing bees, the overall increase is largely the result of constant replenishment of losses, the study showed.”

The Bloomberg article added that, “Among other factors, beekeepers said 13 percent of colonies in the second quarter of this year were stressed by pesticides, 12 percent by mites and pests other than varroa and 4.3 by diseases. Bad weather, starvation, insufficient forage and other reasons were listed as problems with 6.6 percent of hives.”

Emiko Terazono reported this week at The Financial Times Online that, “Drought in Germany, the world’s top producer and exporter of bittering hops, has left brewers and hops merchants on tenterhooks ahead of this year’s harvest of the ingredient that gives beer its refreshing bite.

“Fears for the crop come after four years of a tight market. A boom in demand for craft beers has encouraged US farmers to switch acreage to aroma hops, which impart hoppy flavour and scent.”

The FT article noted that, “Prices for bittering hops, also known as alpha hops, have jumped during several years of supply shortages. Most of the world’s hops are traded on long-term contracts, and forward prices for Herkules, a leading bittering hop, almost quadrupled between 2012 and 2016. The spot price has almost quintupled.

“Bittering hops have a large amount of alpha acid which is extracted to give both mainstream and craft beers their bitter flavour. Craft beers also use a large amount of speciality aroma hops, with brewers using between four to 10 times more hops than the average lager.”

This week’s article added that, “The US is expected to have a bumper hop harvest this year, but the planting area for bittering hops fell more than 13 per cent over the five years to 2016, while the acreage for aroma hops jumped by almost a third, according to the International Hop Growers’ Convention.”

Ms. Terazono also pointed out that, “Brewers and beer companies are unlikely to pass on the hop cost increases, but if climate change leads to the need for irrigation for growers, that production cost increase could result in higher beer prices in the long term.

“The rise in bittering hop prices is expected to prompt farmers to increase their planting of high alpha acid varieties in both Germany and the US.”

A news release last week from USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) indicated that, “Crop insurance for beekeeper operations has been expanded to include 19 additional states and now spans the entire 48 contiguous states. The [RMA] today announced changes to the Apiculture Pilot Insurance (API) plan, ensuring greater protection for the producers’ honey, pollen collection, wax, and breeding stock.

Ashley Lisenby reported today at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Online that, “City leaders here [Ballwin] are discussing new rules on hives that have some beekeepers buzzing.

“Citing a recent complaint, the rules are in a proposed ordinance that ‘recognizes the importance of bees as pollinators for the preservation of the ecosystem, but seeks to regulate the safekeeping of bees for the comfort and safety of all citizens.’

“Among the rules would be restrictions on the types of hives allowed and their placement on residents’ lots.”

Ms. Lisenby noted that, “Beekeepers question how the city would enforce such a rule when bees can travel on average of three miles from their hive to forage.

“However, beekeepers agree some of the proposed rules, such as providing law enforcement with a contact list with the name, address and phone numbers of beekeepers in case of emergency, are good ideas.”

The Post-Dispatch article added that, “Ballwin isn’t the only local city where officials have set regulations on beekeepers or considered them.

“The board modeled the language of its bill after a Webster Groves ordinance that covers ‘domestic animals and fowl.’ Residents are required to apply for a permit to have bees, just as they are for other animals like potbelly pigs, chickens and ducks. They are allowed up to five colonies.

“St. Charles also has limits, including that one parcel of land can’t have more than five honeybee hives.

“In St. Louis, residents can have up to six hives. Violators can face fines.”

Bloomberg writer Tiffany Stecker reported yesterday that, “Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) wants to include a ban on pesticides linked to declining bee health in next year’s farm bill, one of several initiatives he is pushing in the legislation to reauthorize agriculture and nutrition programs.

“Thirty-one Democrats are backing a bill—the Saving America’s Pollinators Act of 2017 ( H.R. 3040)—that would suspend the approval of neonicotinoid pesticides, common insect-killers that are said to harm honeybees, aquatic insects, birds, and other insects and animals. H.R. 3040 would ban imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, and any other neonicotinoids until the Environmental Protection Agency can determine that the pesticides won’t harm pollinators, based on peer-reviewed studies.

“Blumenauer, one of the bill’s sponsors, told Bloomberg BNA he hopes the bill ‘will be folded into part of a larger initiative’ like the next farm bill. Blumenauer is set to release a report next week outlining several measures to support small farmers, local food systems, and sustainability.”

The Bloomberg article added that, “Blumenauer and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) introduced a similar pollinator bill in the last two Congresses, but neither received a hearing in the House Agriculture Committee.

“Agriculture Chairman Michael Conaway (R-Texas) told Bloomberg BNA that he would be open to hearing Democrats’ case for the bill.

“‘That will be a part of the conversation,’ he said. ‘We need a lot more evidence on what’s causing [bee declines], but I’m willing to talk to my Democratic colleagues on this issue because it’s important to all of us. If it’s important to them, I’ll absolutely talk to them about it.'”

A news update Thursday from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) indicated that, “Today, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is authorizing the use of additional Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands for emergency grazing and haying in and around portions of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota affected by severe drought. USDA is adding the ability for farmers and ranchers in these areas to hay and graze CRP wetland and buffer practices.

“‘We are working to immediately address the dire straits facing drought-stricken farmers and ranchers,’ said Perdue. ‘USDA is fully considering and authorizing any federal programs or related provisions we have available to meet the immediate needs of impacted producers.’

“For CRP practices previously announced, including those authorized today, Secretary Perdue is allowing this emergency action during and after the primary nesting season, where local drought conditions warrant in parts of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota that have reached D2, or ‘severe,’ drought level or greater according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. This includes counties with any part of their border located within 150 miles of authorized counties within the three states, and may extend into Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wyoming. All emergency grazing must end Sept. 30, 2017 and emergency haying must end Aug. 31, 2017.”

The FSA update added that, “Landowners interested in emergency haying or grazing of CRP acres should contact the Farm Service Agency (FSA) office and meet with the local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff to obtain a modified conservation plan to include emergency haying/grazing. Individual conservation plans will take into consideration wildlife needs. CRP participants are reminded that a certain percentage of fields must be left unhayed or ungrazed.

“Additional information about the counties approved for emergency haying and grazing and the eligible CRP practices in this area is available at www.fsa.usda.gov/emergency-hayandgraze.”