White House unveils plans to protect bees

America's honeybee population is declining, so the White House has created a plan to save the bees.

Tuesday's announcement of the White House program, which aims "to promote the health of honeybees and other pollinators," comes after a study last week found that U.S. beekeepers lost 40 percent of their colonies last year.

According to the White House, pollinators add $15 billion in value to U.S. agricultural crops each year. Crops including fruits, vegetables, and nuts depend on honeybees and pollination. The White House strategy includes increasing pollinator habitats' size, promoting bee scientists' training, and creating seed banks for bee-friendly plants. The measures also include planting bee-friendly gardens at government offices across the U.S.

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John Holdren, the White House's science adviser, hopes the measures will reduce honey bee colony losses to 15 percent or less within the next 10 years.