The White House has created a new task force to tackle the rapid decline in honey bees and other pollinators. On Friday, US President Barack Obama announced plans for a “Pollinator Health Task Force” which will be lead by the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Within the next six months, the team will investigate the causes of bee declines and develop a federal strategy to protect the health of pollinators. According to recent data from USDA, bee populations saw a 23% decline over the winter season between 2013 and 2014. “The problem is serious and requires immediate attention to ensure the sustainability of our food production systems, avoid additional economic impact on the agricultural sector, and protect the health of the environment”, Obama said in a presidential memorandum. A quarter of the food Americans eat, including apples, carrots and avocados, relies on pollination. In California, the almond industry depends exclusively on bees for pollination. According to the White House, honey bee pollination alone adds more than $15 billion in value to agricultural crops each year in the US. As part of the plan, the task force will assess the effects of pesticides on pollinators. “Scientists believe that bee losses are likely caused by a combination of stressors, including poor bee nutrition, loss of forage lands, parasites, pathogens, lack of genetic diversity, and exposure to pesticides”, the memorandum said. On Friday, USDA also announced an $8 million funding programme for farmers and ranchers in the states of Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin who establish new honey bee habitats.