[PCA] Fwd: [Pollinator] Media Release: Pollinator-Beneficial Farm Bill Amendment Adopted by U.S. House During Pollinator Week
De Angelis, Patricia
patricia_deangelis at fws.gov
Fri Jun 21 07:39:49 CDT 2013
The emphasis for pollinators in the Farm Bill goes beyond honeybees -
native pollinators are also on the radar screen.
Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist, Division of Scientific Authority-US Fish & Wildlife
Service-International Affairs
Chair, Medicinal Plant Working Group-Plant Conservation Alliance
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
Arlington, VA 22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>
Follow International Affairs
> on Twitter http://twitter.com/USFWSInternatl
> on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/USFWS_InternationalAffairs
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tom Van Arsdall <tva at pollinator.org>
Date: Thu, Jun 20, 2013 at 4:50 PM
Subject: [Pollinator] Media Release: Pollinator-Beneficial Farm Bill
Amendment Adopted by U.S. House During Pollinator Week
To: Pollinator Listserv <pollinator at nappc.org>
MEDIA RELEASE
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*June 20, 2013*
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Tom Van Arsdall tva at pollinator.org t 703.509.4746**
Sunny Boyd sun at pollinator.org t 415.362.1137****
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*Pollinator-Beneficial Farm Bill Amendment Adopted by House During
Pollinator Week*
*Would Help Ensure Viability of Honey Bees, Native Pollinators and Other
Beneficial Insects***
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San Francisco, CA-The Pollinator Partnership (P2) applauded passage by a
bipartisan vote of 273-149 of a pollinator amendment to the farm bill on
the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday. If enacted into
law, the amendment, authored by Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (FL), and
carried by Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH) on his behalf, would help ensure
the viability of honey bees, native pollinators and other beneficial
insects. Representatives Rodney Davis (IL) and Jeff Denham (CA) also were
lead supporters of the amendment.****
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“We applaud Representatives Hastings, Kaptur, Davis and Denham for their
critical leadership in achieving this bipartisan outcome during National
Pollinator Week,” said Laurie Davies Adams, P2 Executive Director. “Even
though the House failed to pass a farm bill today, members of the House
have recognized through their precedent-setting vote on the amendment that
pollinators need more help. We will continue to work with concerned
citizens, the Congress and the Administration to find ways to provide that
assistance.” ****
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“It’s simple. No bees, no food,” said Congressman Alcee L. Hastings of
Florida. “Our pollinating partners are in trouble, and they need our help.
My amendment builds on good efforts to date by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) by encouraging interagency cooperation, and directing
more attention to honey bee forage needs in USDA conservation programs.”****
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“I greatly appreciate the hard work and leadership involvement of the
Pollinator Partnership and other key groups in building bipartisan support
for my amendment,” Hastings added. “This is most definitely a positive
outcome during National Pollinator Week.”****
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"I thank the Pollinator Partnership for its leadership on this issue. The
Pollinator Partnership and other key groups are essential to building
support in Congress for this important amendment, and we saw the results of
that on the House floor," said Congresswoman Kaptur of Ohio.****
** **
“As a member of the Pollinator Protection Caucus and an advocate for this
research, I was happy to support this bipartisan amendment. We must
continue to drive home just how important bees and other pollinators are to
getting the nutrition we need, and improving federal coordination to
address and promote pollinator health is a great step, said Congressman
Rodney Davis of Illinois. ****
** **
“Dr. May Berenbaum is a world class entomologist at the University of
Illinois, which is in the 13th District. She and her team are doing
critical work on this problem. We can support the great work being done by
May, and the Pollinator Partnership, by passing strong pollinator
protection policies,” Davis added.****
** **
“I was pleased to see the approval of an amendment that improves current
and future efforts to support the long-term viability of pollinator bees
and other beneficial insects in agriculture. As a Central Valley almond
farmer and co-chair of the House Pollinator Caucus, I understand the
importance of a healthy apiary industry and its effects on our local
agricultural economy,” said Congressman Jeff Denham of California.****
** **
P2 collaborated with beekeeping organizations and Hastings in shaping the
amendment and building support among key stakeholder groups and in the
House. Other groups on record in support of the amendment include:
American Honey Producers Association, American Beekeeping Federation,
American Farm Bureau, National Farmers Union, National Council of Farmer
Cooperatives, Blue Diamond Growers, Florida Farm Bureau, American Farmland
Trust, National Wildlife Federation, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
and Center for Food Safety,****
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The full text of the Hastings amendment is available at
http://pollinator.org/PDFs/HASTFL3.pdf. ****
** **
Members of the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus (CP2C) played key
roles. Co-chairs Hastings and Denham, and CP2C members Kaptur and Davis,
were joined by the following caucus members supporting the amendment: Earl
Blumenauer (OR), Jim Costa (CA), Rosa DeLauro (CT), Ted Deutch (FL), Bob
Goodlatte (VA), Jared Huffman (CA) and Rob Wittman (VA).****
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###****
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*ABOUT THE POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP* ****
Established in 1997, the Pollinator Partnership is the largest 501(c) 3
non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the health, protection,
and conservation of all pollinating animals. For further information, visit
www.pollinator.org!****
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*Amendment Highlights*
**· **Emphasizes the importance of improving managed honey bee
forage in USDA conservation programs;****
**· **Encourages an inter-agency dialogue about pollinator health
that includes appropriate sharing of guidance and technical expertise
between USDA, Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency;****
**· **Creates a USDA task force on bee health and commercial
beekeeping to enhance Federal cooperation relating to preservation of
pollinators and the pollination industry; ****
**· **Requests regular monitoring and reporting on health and
population status of pollinators (including bees, birds, bats, and other
species);****
**· **Encourages agencies to utilize the best available
peer-reviewed science on environmental and chemical stressors to
pollinators, including giving consideration to international efforts
addressing pollinator declines; and ****
**· **Encourages assessment of honey bee research laboratories at
USDA and a feasibility study of collaborative options.****
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R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall, Director of Public Affairs****
Pollinator Partnership <http://www.pollinator.org/>****
(703) 509-4746****
tva at pollinator.org****
****
[image: SHARElogoTextFINAL-50%] <http://www.pollinator.org/SHARE.htm>****
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