In the early 2000s, a series of pollinator colonies, including honey bee colonies, collapsed—an early warning of a serious threat to our nation’s environmental, economic, and food security. Two national initiatives (the creation of the White House Pollinator Health Task Force in 2014 and the subsequent implementation of a national strategy to promote pollinator health in 2015) demonstrate that the government is serious about improving pollinator health. This thesis seeks to determine if pollinator health is a homeland security issue, and reviews policies in the United States and the European Union that protect the health of pollinators. These topics are explored through a comparative policy analysis centered on four considerations: a holistic focus on all pollinators, pesticide regulation, the inclusion of regional plans in national policy, and climate change. Research indicates that decisive governance in the quest for pollinator health is essential for national security. This thesis offers a limited scope that must be enhanced to attain a more robust and resilient national pollinator plan and to improve environmental, economic, and food security in the United States.

Subjects: honey bee; food security; pollinator; colony collapse disorder; pesticides; neonicotinoids; habitat fragmentation; beekeeping; agricultural sustainability; biodiversity; ecosystem; Environmental Protection Agency; monoculture farming; habitat restoration; National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators; Pollinator Health Task Force; Pollinator Research Action Plan