Some farmers and ranchers have been getting some federal help to improve the health of honey bees.

Bees play an important role in food production, pollinating an estimated $15 billion worth of crops, according to USDA.

Professor David Tarpy says some of the items and costs associated with a packaged honeybee colony available for backyard or hobby beekeepers.

Bee numbers have been declining at a sharp rate in recent years due to a number of factors.