Hello Neighbors and concerned citizens!

I have an URGENT request for those of you that believe honeybees make a difference in our food source. The deadline is AUGUST 26, 2025!!

I’m writing to ask for your help with something that I believe matters deeply to the future of agriculture and pollinator health in the U.S.

The USDA has opened a 30-day public comment period to gather feedback on a proposed reorganization plan. This plan includes relocating thousands of USDA positions and could result in the closure of the Bee Research Laboratory (BRL) in Beltsville, Maryland.

This lab is one of the most important centers for honey bee health research in the world. It provides essential disease diagnostics for beekeepers across the country and leads national efforts to understand and reduce colony losses. With honey bees contributing over $20 billion to the U.S. economy each year through pollination, this work is critical.

Closing or relocating the lab would disrupt vital research and services. Beltsville offers unique advantages that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Its seasonal climate is essential for studying overwintering losses and disease dynamics. The lab is also located in a relatively secluded area, away from major commercial beekeeping centers, which helps prevent disease spillover during sensitive research.

In addition, Beltsville’s proximity to Washington, D.C. makes it a natural gathering point for beekeepers from across the country. Many visit the USDA lab while they are in town to meet with their representatives. This accessibility strengthens the connection between science, policy, and the beekeeping community.

It’s also important to recognize that the scientists and staff at the lab have built their lives in this region. Asking them to relocate would likely mean asking many of them to resign. That loss of expertise would be devastating. Here is how you can help:

Send a comment to USDA by August 26, 2025
Email: reorganization@usda.gov

Share why the Bee Research Lab should remain in Beltsville
You can speak from the heart or refer to the attached support letter for key points.
Spread the word to others who care about bees, agriculture, and science. Every voice makes a difference.

Find the USDA’s official announcement here: 
For your reference, I’ve written a support letter that outlines why keeping the lab in Beltsville is so important.

This is a critical moment. Let’s come together to protect this essential research and ensure that USDA continues to serve our agricultural communities effectively.

EMAIL TEMPLATE:

I am writing as a concerned citizen who understands how vital honey bees are to our food supply, our environment, and our future. The Bee Research Lab in Beltsville, MD is one of the few places in the nation dedicated to protecting these pollinators, and it has taken decades to build its expertise, resources, and infrastructure.

This Lab is far more than a collection of buildings. It is a hub of knowledge, collaboration, and innovation that functions at its best because everything—the scientists, the equipment, and the specialized facilities—works together in one place. To dismantle it or scatter its parts would undermine its ability to respond effectively to the urgent challenges facing honey bees.

Beltsville is one of the most important centers for honey bee health research in the world. It provides essential disease diagnostics for beekeepers nationwide and leads national efforts to understand and reduce colony losses. With honey bees contributing billions to the U.S. economy each year through pollination, this work is critical to food security and agriculture.

What makes Beltsville especially irreplaceable is its location. This lab is the only one in a more northern US state with the other remaining honey bee labs are in Louisiana and Arizona. It is important to be able to conduct bee research in different US climate zones. As the only USDA bee lab in a northern climate, it provides unique research opportunities that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Its seasonal conditions are vital for studying overwintering losses and disease dynamics, while its secluded setting—away from major commercial beekeeping centers—minimizes the risk of disease spillover during sensitive research. Without Beltsville, these advantages would be lost.

Those challenges are real and growing. Honey bees face relentless threats from invasive parasites, mutating viruses, and other deadly pressures. Without the full strength of the Beltsville Bee Lab, our ability to fight these threats will be severely compromised—endangering beekeepers, farmers, and every consumer who relies on pollinated crops.

Beltsville’s proximity to Washington, D.C. also strengthens the connection between science, policy, and the beekeeping community. Beekeepers from across the country often visit the USDA lab while in town to meet with their representatives, making Beltsville a natural gathering point for collaboration.

Finally, it is important to recognize the people. The scientists and staff at the lab have built their lives in this region. Relocating the lab would almost certainly mean losing many of them—and with them, decades of hard-won expertise that cannot easily be replaced.

Please do not dismantle the Bee Research Lab in Beltsville. We need it operating at full capacity to protect honey bees, safeguard agriculture, and ensure a sustainable future for us all.

Thank you,