SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 4

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Mimi Stewart

A JOINT MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE LEGISLATURE'S SUPPORT FOR A VOLUNTARY POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PLANT LABELING PROJECT AT LOCAL NURSERIES AROUND THE STATE; REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO DECLARE THE SECOND BEE AWARE DAY; REQUESTING THE DIRECTOR OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SERVICE TO DESIGNATE AN AREA AT THE STATE CAPITOL AS A POLLINATOR GARDEN TO HELP EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS TO HUMANS.

     WHEREAS, the world's food supply depends on animal and insect pollinators to pollinate three-fourths of the crop plants grown; and

     WHEREAS, bees pollinate one-third of the food eaten worldwide, or every third mouthful of food, including apples, squash, watermelon and other crops important to New Mexico's residents; and

     WHEREAS, thousands of acres of food in New Mexico rely on bees and other pollinators for pollination; and

     WHEREAS, native and commercial bee populations are drastically declining across the country and the world, and other pollinators such as bats, butterflies and beetles are also declining; and

     WHEREAS, commercial bee colony loss in New Mexico has been reported at thirty percent, which is below the national average of thirty-nine percent, but double the accepted loss of fifteen percent; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico department of agriculture reports that habitat loss and disease are the main reasons that commercial bees are declining in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, without bees and other pollinators, the estimated cost of having people pollinate crops would be approximately twenty billion dollars ($20,000,000,000) annually in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, the cash value of commercial bees in New Mexico is between one million dollars ($1,000,000) and two million dollars ($2,000,000), not including pollination; and

     WHEREAS, planting pollinator-friendly plants attracts bees and other pollinators and encourages pollination and protection of their populations; and

     WHEREAS, in 2016, the wild friends program helped to pass Senate Memorial 103, which asked state agencies to set an example by using bee-friendly plants in their landscaping and to designate pollinator-friendly gardens; and

     WHEREAS, the wild friends program, the New Mexico department of agriculture, New Mexico state university and the New Mexico beekeepers association are working together to protect bees and other pollinators; and

     WHEREAS, a voluntary pollinator-friendly plant labeling project for local plant nurseries could be the next step to increase habitat by helping farmers, landowners and homeowners understand what bees and other pollinators do for humans and to encourage them to buy or grow pollinator-friendly plants; and

     WHEREAS, youth want a healthier, tastier, more beautiful and colorful state with honey, fruits and vegetables and flowering plants; and

     WHEREAS, bees and other pollinators need help, as they do not have a voice of their own;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it support the implementation of a voluntary statewide pollinator-friendly plant labeling project and request that, within available resources, the New Mexico department of agriculture provide technical support to the wild friends program of the university of New Mexico school of law, the New Mexico beekeepers association and the New Mexico chapter of the Colorado nursery and greenhouse association as they work to implement the project; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, within available resources, the New Mexico department of agriculture be requested to continue its collaborative efforts relating to the health of bees and other pollinators in New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the director of the legislative council service be requested to designate an area at the state capitol as a pollinator garden to help educate the public about the importance of bees and other pollinators to humans; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor be requested to issue a proclamation declaring the second Bee Aware Day during the school year to further educate the public about the importance of bees to New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the director of the legislative council service, the New Mexico department of agriculture, the wild friends program of the university of New Mexico school of law, the New Mexico beekeepers association and the New Mexico chapter of the Colorado nursery and greenhouse association.

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