COURT HOUSE — Remember that “talk” about the birds and bees and how flustered someone got talking about them?
It was almost the same recently when a wee piece of bipartisan legislation won Gov. Chris Christie’s signature Jan. 9 and flew away barely noticed designating Pollinator Week.
Admittedly, the Garden State has greater concerns than bees that pollinate flowers that produce honey and help crops grow, but it should be noted not one vote was cast against the bills in the hallowed halls of Trenton’s gold-domed capitol. That alone is something for a buzz.
Sponsored in the lower chamber by Assemblyman Ronald Dancer (R-12th), joint bills in both houses, received support from the entire First District Legislative team, Sen. Jeff Van Drew, who was the bill’s primary sponsor in the Senate, Assemblyman Robert Andrzejczak, who co-sponsored and chairs the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, (both D-1st), and Assemblyman Samuel Fiocchi (R-1st). That alone is a monumental accomplishment.
But then, who can vote against the humble honeybee?
The joint resolution decrees one week annually as Pollinator Week, perhaps the third week in June, when flowers are blossoming and bees are winging flight around gardens and farms. That auspicious solemnity may be changed if the U.S. Department of Agriculture opts to make national pollinator week some other time, but it must do so by May 31.
Pollinators are not only honeybees, others are birds, bats and butterflies. All are essential to spreading pollen that grows crops that humans eat, including blueberries, apples, cranberries, cucumbers and pumpkins. Because of that work, all are lauded for their endeavors on behalf of mankind by the document.
Regardless, it is the honeybee, New Jersey’s official state bug (aka Apis mellifera), that is highlighted as a “key contributor to pollination in the state.” The honeybee won its designation when the Legislature enacted A-671, and Gov. Brendan T. Byrne signed it June 20, 1974.
Also lauded in the new bill were 2,000 new beekeepers (since 2006) who have been trained to harbor honeybees through joint efforts of the state Department of Agriculture, N.J. Beekeepers Association and Rutgers, the State University.
Finally, to heighten the hum over honeybees and their vital winged work during Pollinator Week, the governor may annually issue a proclamation “calling upon the public officials and the citizens of this state to observe the week with appropriate activities and programs.”
Perhaps it will be an excellent opportunity to discuss, once again, the birds and bees.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
