During a recent US congressional hearing, farmers indicated that the loss of the honey bee was threatening food supplies and would likely to lead to higher food prices. Colony Collapse Disorder, which is the near complete disappearance of bees from a hive, has caused some US beekeepers to lose up to 90 percent of their bees. 

Bee experts at Pennsylvania State University found extremely high levels of chemicals as well as over 70 agricultural pesticides in bee hives and the pollen. Scientists suspect that the combined effect of many chemicals over prolonged periods may be one of the primary causes of Colony Collapse Disorder. A similar finding in Germany and France resulted in a recent ban of pesticides.

We send our appreciation, American farmers and scientists, for this cautionary alert. We look forward to the day when food is grown without chemicals and the vital honeybee is fully restored.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/bees/honey-bee-pesticides-55081801, http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=15572, http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/18/BAKR12DBPO.DTL, http://www.ento.psu.edu/Personnel/ExtAssoc/frazierm.htm, http://www.ento.psu.edu/Personnel/ExtAssoc/frazierm.htm, http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/bees/colony-collapse-disorder-55070601, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/2206897/Food-prices-threatened-by-silence-of-the-bees.html, http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/37493