The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan has issued a proclamation designating June 17-23, 2024, as National Pollinator Week. This announcement highlights the EPA's ongoing efforts to protect pollinators from pesticides and includes plans for mitigation measures and the upcoming finalization of the Herbicide Strategy aimed at protecting over 900 federally threatened and endangered species, including pollinators.
"Pollinators are essential to human and ecological survival, with more than 150 food crops depending on pollinators in the United States alone," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "They also help plants reproduce, which in turn helps keep the air we breathe clean, purifies the water we drink, and prevents erosion of the soils, protecting us from climate disasters. Now more than ever, we must act to protect them."
The EPA has proposed registering four new pesticide active ingredients that include protections for federally listed threatened or endangered species and for pollinators. Additionally, measures have been implemented to safeguard listed species and their critical habitats from three organophosphate insecticides.
This year is significant as the EPA expects to finalize its Herbicide Strategy. This strategy will determine necessary mitigations to protect listed plant species and those dependent on these plants, including pollinators, from agricultural herbicide use. The agency aims to adopt these mitigations proactively during new herbicide registrations and reevaluations of existing ones.
In 2024, the EPA also plans to release a draft of its Insecticide Strategy focused on minimizing impacts on listed insect species, including many pollinators.
"Pollinator protection is everyone’s job," emphasized Regan. The EPA remains committed to collaborating with federal, state, tribal partners, non-governmental organizations, and the public to support pollinator health and habitat.
For more information about EPA’s pollinator protection efforts and how individuals can contribute, visit Protecting Bees and Other Pollinators from Pesticides.
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