--- title: Obama Wants to Save The Bees description: New initiative will combat the decline in pollinators canonical: https://time.com/2907230/the-white-house-wants-to-save-the-bees/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-06-20T19:36:24.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:05:39.201Z article:section: Politics og:title: Obama Wants to Save The Bees og:description: New initiative will combat the decline in pollinators og:url: https://time.com/2907230/the-white-house-wants-to-save-the-bees/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt95e739cc21ef1bb8/698698a936176071a290cb9f/beekeper-bees-colony-bee.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2784 og:image:height: 1566 og:image:alt: Exchange Busy Beekeeper og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Obama Wants to Save The Bees twitter:description: New initiative will combat the decline in pollinators twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt95e739cc21ef1bb8/698698a936176071a290cb9f/beekeper-bees-colony-bee.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:41 video:published: 2013-08-07 section: science topics: honeybees, colony collapse disorder, pollination, pesticides, neonicotinoids, Varroa mite, agriculture, habitat loss, bee nutrition, food security genre: explainer tones: informative, concerned, measured, urgent emotions: concern (medium), curiosity (low), alarm (low) sentiment: negative audience: general news readers, environmental enthusiasts, farmers and agriculture stakeholders, students people: Bryan Walsh, Albert Einstein organizations: TIME products: neonicotinoids content_suitability: health controversy [00:43-00:56]; disasters [00:10-00:32] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # The White House Wants to Save the Bees > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=03a4381b-9c45-4ab6-ab55-2bb6a2a967de&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=03a4381b-9c45-4ab6-ab55-2bb6a2a967de&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=03a4381b-9c45-4ab6-ab55-2bb6a2a967de&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=03a4381b-9c45-4ab6-ab55-2bb6a2a967de&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: TIME Explains: Why Bees Are Going Extinct [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Explains: Why Bees Are Going Extinct](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/dZuiDonP.m3u8) (1:41)  _Published 2013-08-07. The bees are dying and we're to blame. TIME's Bryan Walsh explains colony collapse disorder, and why bees are on the verge of extinction._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video explains colony collapse disorder, the sudden decline of honeybee hives over roughly the past decade, and why it matters for agriculture. It reports a 43 percent loss of bee colonies over the last year and outlines several suspected causes, including pesticides, parasites and habitat loss. It also addresses the popular claim attributed to Albert Einstein about bees and human survival, noting there is no evidence he said it. ## Key points - The claim attributed to Albert Einstein about bees disappearing and mankind having four years left has no evidence that he actually said it. (00:00) - Colony collapse disorder refers to honeybee hives suddenly dying over roughly the last decade, with bees fleeing hives for reasons not fully understood. (00:10) - The video states that 43 percent of bee colonies were lost over the last year. (00:26) - Honeybees are a key part of agriculture because they pollinate fruits and vegetables such as almonds, blueberries, apples and cherries. (00:32) - One suspected cause is a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids, which affect bee nervous systems, causing navigation and flying problems and killing bees in large numbers. (00:46) - Parasites and mites attacking beehives themselves are another cause, with the Varroa mite described as probably the biggest single cause of bee loss over about 20 years. (00:56) - Bees are running out of nutrition as farmers replace open flower and wild areas with crops, driven by higher corn and soybean prices, creating something like a food desert for bees. (01:15) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:10] Einstein claim and bee decline. The narrator addresses the unverified Einstein quote and introduces the concern that honeybees are disappearing. - [00:10 to 00:32] What colony collapse disorder is. The term colony collapse disorder is defined and the scale of colony losses and agricultural importance of bees is explained. - [00:32 to 01:15] Possible causes of bee loss. Pesticides, mites and parasites, and the loss of wild habitat are presented as possible reasons for colony collapse. - [01:15 to 01:41] Food desert and final stakes. Loss of flowers and open land leaves bees short of nutrition, and the video closes on the impact on the variety of food. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Bryan Walsh: "There was no evidence that he actually said that, but he does touch on a real concern because the honeybees are disappearing." - [00:17] Bryan Walsh: "The term is called colony collapse disorder and it refers to something that's been happening with honey beehives over the last decade or so." - [00:43] Bryan Walsh: "There's a number of possible reasons that's causing the colonies of honeybees to collapse. One is pesticides." - [01:01] Bryan Walsh: "It's been around for about 20 years and it's been probably the biggest single cause of bee loss in that time." - [01:15] Bryan Walsh: "Increasingly, farmers, because the price of corn and soya bean has gone up so much in recent years, have been replacing all that open area with crops." ## Questions this video answers - What is colony collapse disorder? [00:17] - Why are honeybees important to agriculture? [00:32] - Is there evidence that Albert Einstein said bees disappearing would leave mankind four years to live? [00:00] - What are the possible causes of honeybee colony collapse? [00:43] - How does farmland replacing open areas affect bees? [01:15] ## Content suitability - health controversy [00:43-00:56]: Discussion of pesticides and their harmful effects on bees, which may be contested. - disasters [00:10-00:32]: Describes sudden, large-scale die-offs of honeybee colonies.  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jun 20, 2014 7:36 PM UTC  Beekeeper Alan Clingenpeel shows the inside of a bee hive in his apiary at his home on May 23, 2014 in Pearcy, Ark. Beekeeper Alan Clingenpeel shows the inside of a bee hive in his apiary at his home on May 23, 2014 in Pearcy, Ark. Mara Kuhn—AP  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jun 20, 2014 7:36 PM UTC The White House created a new task force Friday to study and combat the recent [precipitous decline in the number of bees](http://time.com/559/the-plight-of-the-honeybee/) in the United States. The Pollinator Health Task Force will also undertake efforts to increase public awareness of the issue and boost conservation partnerships between the public and private sectors. “Given the breadth, severity, and persistence of pollinator losses, it is critical to expand Federal efforts and take new steps to reverse pollinator losses and help restore populations to healthy levels,” President Barack Obama wrote in a presidential memorandum. The President’s announcement comes in response to a [problem](http://time.com/559/the-plight-of-the-honeybee/) with grave implications for farmers and consumers. At least 90 commercial crops harvested in North America rely on honey bees including nuts, fruits, and vegetables, according to a [White House fact sheet](http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/20/fact-sheet-economic-challenge-posed-declining-pollinator-populations). Pollinators also have a profound economic impact: They contribute more than $24 billion dollars to the U.S. economy. The plan announced on Friday, which includes measures to research the issue and develop pollinator habitats, marks the latest step in the White House’s attempt to address the the decline. The President requested $50 million to combat the program in his 2015 budget proposal. ## Transcript [00:00] >>Albert Einstein once supposedly said that if bees [00:01] disappeared from the face of the earth, mankind [00:04] would only have four years left to live. There was no [00:06] evidence that he actually said that, but he does touch [00:09] on a real concern because the honeybees are [00:10] disappearing. [00:10] >>Those are all dead. All [ unk ] [00:16] >>It's like that. [00:17] >>The term is called colony collapse disorder and it [00:20] refers to something that's been happening with honey [00:22] beehives over the last decade or so. Suddenly, hives [00:25] are dying. Bees are fleeing the hives for reasons we [00:26] can't really understand. We lost 43 percent of bee [00:29] colonies over the last year. That's important 'cause [00:32] honeybees are a key part of agriculture. They pollinate [00:35] a number of fruits and vegetables, from almonds to [00:37] blueberries to apples to cherries, scores of other [00:40] fruits. There's a number of possible reasons that's [00:43] causing the colonies of honeybees to collapse. One is [00:46] pesticides. There's a new class of chemicals called [00:48] neonicotinoids. They have an impact on bee nervous [00:51] systems. They have navigation problems. They have [00:53] flying problems. It seems to kill them in large numbers. [00:56] Another are parasites and mites that actually attack [00:59] the beehives themselves. One is called the Varroa [01:01] mite. It's been around for about 20 years and it's been [01:04] probably the biggest single cause of bee loss in that [01:06] time. And there's also the simple that bees are running [01:09] out of nutrition. They usually depend on flowers, [01:12] wilderness, wild spaces in order to pollinate, in order [01:15] to gather pollen for their own hives. But increasingly, [01:18] farmers, because the price of corn and soya bean has [01:20] gone up so much in recent years, have been replacing [01:23] all that open area with crops. And as a result, bees are [01:26] encountering what's almost like a food desert for them. [01:29] But the honeybees really do disappear. It's not likely [01:32] that mankind will follow them in four years, but [01:34] certainly, our dinners would become a lot less colorful [01:35] and a lot less varied. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/2907230/the-white-house-wants-to-save-the-bees/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/2907230/the-white-house-wants-to-save-the-bees/"},"headline":"The White House Wants to Save the Bees","datePublished":"2014-06-20T19:36:24.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:05:39.201Z","description":"New initiative will combat the decline in pollinators","url":"https://time.com/2907230/the-white-house-wants-to-save-the-bees/","keywords":["Environment","Barack Obama","Agriculture","Bees","Science topic"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt95e739cc21ef1bb8/698698a936176071a290cb9f/beekeper-bees-colony-bee.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Justin Worland","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/justin-worland/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt95e739cc21ef1bb8/698698a936176071a290cb9f/beekeper-bees-colony-bee.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Exchange Busy Beekeeper","caption":"Exchange Busy Beekeeper","creditText":"Mara Kuhn—AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/environment/","name":"Environment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/2907230/the-white-house-wants-to-save-the-bees/","name":"The White House Wants to Save the Bees"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"TIME Explains: Why Bees Are Going Extinct","description":"The bees are dying and we're to blame. TIME's Bryan Walsh explains colony collapse disorder, and why bees are on the verge of extinction.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/dZuiDonP/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2013-08-07T16:59:41.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/dZuiDonP.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/2907230/the-white-house-wants-to-save-the-bees/","duration":"PT1M41S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/2907230/the-white-house-wants-to-save-the-bees/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```