Bee industry bills signed into law

TRENTON — Three bills Assemblymen Ron Dancer and Parker Space sponsor designed to protect the state’s commercial and recreational bee industry and heighten public awareness about its importance to the state's food supply were signed into law today by Acting Gov. Kim Guadagno.

According to the state Department of Agriculture, more than 80 percent of U.S. food crops are pollinated by honey bees. In New Jersey, pollination is crucial for its blueberry, cranberry, pumpkin, squash, strawberry, peach and apple crops.

“New Jersey’s $7 million honey bee industry contributes to the production of nearly $200 million worth of fruits and vegetables annually,” said Space, R-Sussex, Warren and Morris, whose family is well-known for its long-standing agricultural commitment in Sussex County that spans eight generations. “These measures will provide additional protections to the state’s 3,000 commercial and hobbyist beekeepers while ensuring they conform to safety standards.”