America’s honeybees are dying off, and one reason why could be widespread federal renewable fuel policies meant to help the environment—that have backfired.

Bees are the primary pollinators for US crops. Melons, oranges, broccoli, almonds—you name it, and it probably requires bees. But farmers rarely have their own bee colonies on their property, and fewer still can rely on nearby wild bees to pollinate their crops. So they rent them—and nearly half of all commercial bees come from North and South Dakota. FULL STORY

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