Just as with cows, pigs, chickens, fish, and other animals, bees are farmed on an industrial scale. Humans use them for their products and for their labor as large-scale crop pollinators. Because of this, bees play an integral role in worldwide food production. According to a 2021 study published in the scientific journal Insects, around 33% of the entire human food supply relies on bee pollination. Without bees, we wouldn’t have many foods we love, including almonds and avocados.
Bees are shipped across the nation for pollination, and that travel takes an enormous toll on their health. A 2016 study in the journal Nature found that this constant movement raised the bees’ levels of stress and adversely affected their health. The authors also found that bees used for crop pollination die sooner than wild bees. Vegans who hope to reduce animal suffering see this research as evidence of animal cruelty and an excellent reason to avoid bee products.