OAKLAND, Calif. – The honey bee crisis in the U.S. continues to threaten the
U.S. food supply. Bad weather in the Midwest and East this summer and fall
seriously impacted the health of a significant number of hives over the winter,
adding to the already difficult problem of keeping the bees alive. The shortage
is sending almond farmers scrambling to find enough hives to pollinate the
almond orchards in California this month. With colony losses at approximately 30
percent over the last several winters, it is not surprising that fewer and fewer
colonies are available.
Not only is the honey bee endangered, so too are the caretakers of our petite
pollinators. Today, the average age of a commercial beekeeper is 60 years old.
Beekeeping is a dying art that needs to be sustained and supported. To highlight
the importance and need for more apiary enthusiasts, the Haagen-Dazs brand
announced today the focus of its Haagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees (HD loves HB)
campaign this year to help keep the hobby and the hive alive and buzzing.
First, the ice cream maker is calling for support to overturn the New York City
Health Department’s ban on beekeeping, set to be reviewed on March 16, 2010.
Lifting the ban would allow city residents to keep bees without the risk of
violating the current health code and being fined $2,000. The Health Department
currently considers honey bees to be wild animals. More information can be found
at
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/legalize-beekeeping.html.
Unlike commercial beekeepers, backyard or hobbyist beekeepers typically have a
small number of hives. The bees pollinate local gardens and plants and also help
the honey bee population’s genetic diversity.
“More beekeepers means more honey bees, and that’s what we need right now,” says
Dennis vanEngelsdorp, former president of Apiary Inspectors of America and
Haagen-Dazs Bee Board member. “By allowing New York City residents to keep bees
without penalty, more people will be encouraged to take up this hobby that’s
both rewarding and important for our troubled bee population. Good pollinator
health is crucial for all of us.”
The brand announced today it is also joining forces with 13 year-old Boy Scout
Christopher Stowell, Troop 250, Skiatook, OK. Christopher is also a beekeeper
and is petitioning the Boy Scout Council for reinstatement of the Boy Scout
Beekeeping merit badge that was discontinued in 1995. To sign the letter and
petition, visit “The Buzz” page at
http://www.helpthehoneybees.com/#buzz.
“Now, more than ever before, the survival of the honey bee is important to us
all,” said Stowell. “If other kids are not encouraged to learn how to become
beekeepers, the honey bee will surely die out.”
“Christopher is an amazing advocate for honey bees and serves as a great example
of learning about a problem and working to find a solution,” said Mara Lowry,
Haagen-Dazs brand manager. “It’s because of people like him that we continue to
be encouraged and inspired to work to help both bees and beekeepers, and we urge
everyone to do their part. Signing this letter and petition is one small but
impactful thing people can do.”
Haagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees Program Encourages Consumers to Take Part
Committed to being part of the solution, the Haagen-Dazs brand is renewing its
efforts for a third year to help in the preservation of honey bees and nature’s
finest ingredients. In 2010, Haagen-Dazs ice cream will continue to support
Pennsylvania State University and the University of California, Davis, bringing
the brand’s total donation to $620,000 over the past three years. In addition to
university funding, the Haagen-Dazs brand is also continuing its Vanilla Honey
Bee ice cream flavor and HD loves HB icon labeling on all packages of bee-built
flavors of ice cream, sorbet, frozen yogurt and bars to drive awareness of the
ongoing issue.
The brand encourages everyone to find a way to become a bee crusader, and do
their part to help save the honey bees. Here’s how to make a difference:
- Start a hive and become a backyard beekeeper your garden will thank you
for it. Look for a beekeeping club in your area to help you get started. - Create a bee-friendly garden with plants that attract honey bees. Select a
plant with a long growing season or a group of plants that together will offer
flowers from spring through fall. A great resource for information can be
found at www.helpthehoneybees.com, or from the horticulturalist at your local
plant nursery. - Avoid insecticides in your garden. Instead, promote good bugs (called
‘beneficial insects’) bugs that will happily eat the bad bugs chomping on
your plants. More information is available at
www.ipm.ucdavis.edu and
http://horticulture.psu.edu/extension/mg. - When you buy a Haagen-Dazs ice cream bee-built product, a portion of the
proceeds of the sale go toward helping the honey bees. - Tell a friend Visit www.helpthehoneybees.com to send a Bee-Mail or to
create your own animated honey bee to help spread the word. - Visit the Haagen-Dazs Bee Store at www.helpthehoneybees.com All proceeds
from our bee store will fund CCD and sustainable pollination research at Penn
State and UC Davis.
About Haagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees
Alarmingly, over the last three winters, more than one in three bee colonies
died nationwide. Researchers are calling the mysterious bee disappearance Colony
Collapse Disorder (CCD). Because the Haagen-Dazs brand uses only all-natural
ingredients in its recipes, more than 50 percent of the brand’s flavors are
bee-built, meaning they use ingredients pollinated by the bees.
In 2008, the Haagen-Dazs brand launched the HD loves HB campaign to create
awareness of the honey bee crisis. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of HD
loves HB labeled flavors fund sustainable pollination and CCD research at
Pennsylvania State University and University of California, Davis, totaling
$620,000 over three years.
About Haagen-Dazs
Crafted in 1960 by Reuben Mattus in his family’s dairy, Haagen-Dazs is the
original superpremium ice cream. True to tradition, Haagen-Dazs is committed to
using only all-natural ingredients in crafting the world’s finest ice cream.
Truly made like no other, today Haagen-Dazs ice cream offers a full range of
products from ice cream to sorbet, frozen yogurt and frozen snacks in more than
65 flavors. Haagen-Dazs products are available around the globe for ice cream
lovers to enjoy. For more information, please visit
www.Haagen-Dazs.com.
Source:
Haagen-Dazs
