[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 84 (Thursday, May 26, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN HONOR OF THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS 
                              ASSOCIATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ELIZABETH H. ESTY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 26, 2016

  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Connecticut Beekeepers 
Association, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this weekend. 
The Connecticut Beekeepers Association is vital to promoting and 
protecting honeybees in communities across Connecticut. The 
appreciation our state's beekeepers receive doesn't come close to 
matching their impact on our health and our economy.
  Honeybees pollinate one-third of the food on our plates and roughly 
90 crops found in the United States. To give you an idea of the role 
honeybees play in our food security, picture walking into your local 
grocery store and finding the produce aisles half-empty. That's what a 
future without honeybees would look like.
  Unfortunately, honeybees are dying off at an alarming rate, due to 
Colony Collapse Disorder and stressors such as disease, habitat loss, 
and pesticides. The Connecticut Beekeepers Association is working 
tirelessly to save our pollinators. It's bringing together beekeepers, 
farmers, businesses, and consumers and educating the public about the 
importance of honeybees.
  The Connecticut Beekeepers Association knows that the best way to 
engage people in this important work is to keep it fun. They even 
brought live bees to a New Britain Bees baseball game to show kids how 
hives work.
  I am proud to support the Connecticut Beekeepers Association's 
efforts for a healthy, sustainable honeybee population in the future. 
On this historic anniversary, I commend the Connecticut Beekeepers 
Association on 125 years of excellence in beekeeping and environmental 
stewardship.

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