Bill > HM33

This Memorial requests the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to establish a working group to develop a pollinator protection plan, acknowledging the vital role pollinators play in New Mexico's agriculture and the increasing popularity of beekeeping. The group, composed of representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council, the New Mexico Beekeepers Association, and other stakeholders, will assess ways to protect pollinators through community education, outreach, and data collection, including developing recommendations for tracking beekeeper and hive numbers to inform these efforts. The working group is also tasked with creating educational materials on best practices for various groups and reporting its findings and recommendations to the legislature by October 1, 2024.