----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 10:04 AM
Subject: wfan list> Pollinator Protection Act of 2007 Introduced into
the Senate
For immediate Release
Date:
June 26, 2007
Contact:
Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director
Xerces Society: 503-449-3792 [log in to unmask]
For additional information contact:
Natalie Ravitz (Boxer) 202-224-8120
Kyle Downey (Thune) 202-228-5939
Kendra Barkoff (Casey) 202-228-6367
Pollinator Protection Act
of 2007 Introduced into the Senate
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) along with
eight other co-sponsors introduced the Pollinator Research Act of 2007 into the
Senate today. This bill provides significant funding for research that will
improve the security of crop pollination and support strong populations of
honey bees and native bees.
The recent widespread loss of honey bee
colonies from Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has received a lot of media
coverage. At this time the cause of CCD remains a mystery. It may be one or
more factors, such as parasitic mites, disease, pesticides or diet.
The European honey bee isand will
continue to bethe most important single crop pollinator in the
The Pollinator
Protection Act is a
modified version of Congressman Hastings’ Pollinator
Protection Act (H.R. 1709), which addresses Colony Collapse Disorder
(CCD). This bill not only addresses Colony Collapse Disorder in honey bees,
but also the decline of native pollinators in
“This bill can help to improve crop
security and the sustainability of agriculture, by helping farmers in the
The Pollinator
Protection Act provides for:
The Pollinator
Protection Act of 2007 works in conjunction with Senator Baucus’ Pollinator Habitat Protection Act (introduced
May 24, 2007), of which Senator Boxer is a co-sponsor. The Pollinator Habitat Protection Act addresses
an important aspect of CCD and the decline of pollinators in general: the
continued loss of pollinator habitat due to development. The Pollinator Habitat Protection Act leverages
existing conservation efforts to improve the health of our nation’s
pollinators.
Senator Boxer’s Pollinator Protection Act differs in that it directly applies
research funding to strengthen honey bees and native bees, the foundation of
crop pollination in the U.S. Honey bees and native bees are vital for $15
billion and $3 billion in crop production each year, respectively, yet research
in these fields has received little funding and attention throughout its
history. No other industry or service that provides such vital services to this
nation is as under-funded as beekeeping and native bee management and habitat
conservation.
In conjunction, these two bills take major
steps to focus resources and conservation efforts on the decline of honey bees,
native bees, and other pollinators, and provide a foundation for further study
into a service we have often taken for granted. In supporting funding for
research, we provide avenues to further understand the problems facing our crop
pollinators, and in turn ensure the health of our nation’s food supply.
"Almost all of our pollination eggs
are in the honey bee basket," says Mace Vaughan, conservation director of
the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. "The Pollinator
Protection Act of 2007 will support honey bees and greatly expand our
understanding of bumble bees, sweat bees, mason bees, squash bees, sunflower
bees, and miner bees. This bill strengthens the honey bee basket and adds
additional pollinator baskets for agriculture."
Importance of Protecting
Pollinators
Pollinators are essential to our
environment. The ecological service they provide is important for the
reproduction of nearly 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants. This
includes more than two-thirds of the world’s crop species, and one in three
mouthfuls of the food that we eat. The
Beyond agriculture, native pollinators are
keystone species in most terrestrial ecosystems. Fruits and seeds derived from
insect pollination are a major part of the diet of approximately 25 percent of
birds, and of mammals ranging from deer mice to grizzly bears.
Why are native bees so helpful?
Collectively, native bees are more versatile than honey bees. Some species,
such as mason bees, are active when conditions are too cold or wet for honey
bees. Many species also are simply more efficient at moving pollen between
flowers. Bumble bees and several other native species can buzz pollinate
flowersvibrating the flower to release pollen from deep inside the
pollen-bearing antherswhich honey bees cannot do. Crops such as tomatoes,
cranberries, and blueberries produce larger, more abundant fruit when buzz
pollinated.
The Xerces Society for
Invertebrate Conservation
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation is an international non-profit organization that protects the
diversity of life through the conservation of invertebrates. The Society
advocates for invertebrates and their habitats by working with scientists, land
managers, educators, and citizens on conservation and education projects. Its
core programs focus on endangered species, native pollinators, and watershed
health.
For more information on pollinator
conservation go to: www.xerces.org
Pollinator Protection Act
Cosponsors
Sponsor: Boxer, Barbara-
(D - CA)
Casey, Robert
P., Jr.- (D - PA)
Thune, John-
(R - SD)
Nelson,
Bill- (D - FL)
Menendez,
Robert- (D - NJ)
Clinton,
Hillary Rodham- (D - NY)
Durbin,
Richard- (D - IL)
Brown, Sherrod-
(D - OH)
Kerry, John F.-
(D - MA)
______________________________________________________
The Xerces Society for
Invertebrate Conservation
The Xerces Society is an international
nonprofit organization that
protects the diversity of life through
invertebrate conservation. To
join the Society, make a contribution, or
read about our work,
please visit www.xerces.org.
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