Managed Honeybee Health Program.

Assembly Member Ransom's Managed Honeybee Health Program legislation creates a comprehensive framework to address declining honeybee populations that California's agricultural sector depends on for crop pollination. The Department of Food and Agriculture would administer the program in consultation with a new advisory committee to enhance managed honeybee health through targeted interventions and support.

The bill authorizes the department to provide grants, technical assistance, and educational resources to commercial beekeepers, farmers, tribes, nonprofits, and academic institutions for honeybee health projects. A six-member advisory committee comprising representatives from the State Veterinarian's office, commercial beekeepers, county agricultural commissioners, farmers, academia, and the public would guide program development. When awarding grants, the department may prioritize projects that benefit disadvantaged communities, support socially disadvantaged beekeepers, demonstrate potential for statewide replication, or deliver environmental and agricultural benefits like reduced hive loss.

To fund these activities, the legislation establishes the Managed Honeybee Health Account within the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund, along with a special subaccount for non-state, federal and private funding sources. While the subaccount funds would be continuously appropriated, the broader program implementation remains contingent on legislative appropriation. The bill's findings note that managed honeybees facilitate pollination for over 90 California crops that generate billions in annual economic activity, while also supporting biodiversity and ecosystem health through plant pollination.