WSU Professor of Entomology Laura Lavine was invited before a virtual committee hearing of the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee this afternoon to share about honey bee research being conducted at WSU and comment on recommendations offered by the state Pollinator Health Task Force.
The Pollinator Health Task Force was created by the Legislature to provide them with recommendations on how to strengthen pollinator numbers and habitats. Dr. Lavine, Chair of the WSU Department of Entomology, spoke to a few of the many recommendations made by the task force and hopes to adopt them at the university, including one that would strengthen communications between beekeepers and pesticide applicators.
“As a land-grant university, Washington State University serves as the honest broker of research information and translates that into management practice and recommendations for all stakeholders, from smallholders and farmers, to commercial beekeepers” said Dr. Lavine, Chair of the WSU Department of Entomology.
The Legislature convened yesterday for its 105-day legislative session, adopting rules to move the session remote.
Video of the presentation can be found below: