Texas House passes bill to create pollinator health task force

The Texas House voted 86-50 yesterday in favor of HB 1437 (by Rep. Mary Gonzalez) to create a pollinator health task force.

Bees, butterflies and other pollinators are in trouble. Commercial beekeepers in Texas lost around two-thirds of their honeybee colonies in the past year. Many native Texas bee species are similarly in decline. And last year the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the Monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Pollinators are essential to our environment and agricultural production. Unfortunately habitat loss, toxic pesticides and other factors have caused a severe decline in their populations. 

The task force will identify ways the state can prevent pollinator habitat loss and incentivize the creation of new habitats. The bill now moves to the Texas Senate for consideration.