The Delaware Department of Agriculture released the pollinator protection plan Monday.

Plant Industries Administrator Faith Kuehn says it covers recommended strategies, voluntary best management practices and important resources for beekeepers, farmers, landowners and pesticide users. The state hopes to get pesticide users to reduce bee exposure to the toxins and get landowners to enhance forage plants that bees depend upon.

Bees are important, and officials say without them, pollination of many of Delaware's fruits and vegetables would be almost impossible.

State farmers bring in about 3,000 bee colonies every year to help pollinate fruit and vegetable crops. These supplement the 1,500 hives maintained by the state's 180 registered beekeepers.