Hi all,
Word from Washington and Sacramento is that your phone calls and emails are having an effect!  Thanks to Dr. Eric Mussen for his testimony in Sacramento yesterday, which had immediate effect for beekeeper access to public lands.  There was no dissent from the native pollinator representative.

We have an immediate chance to help right now.  Rep. Hastings is introducing a bill for $75 million for bee research today.  It apparently helps to have as many names attached as possible.

> URGENT FARM BILL ACTION REQUEST:          DEADLINE TODAY ASAP, no later than 3:00 Eastern!!
> 1.        SIGN ON Attached GROUP STATEMENT [Organizations, Individuals] in
> Support of farm bill pollinator protection amendment #75, to be offered by
> Rep. Alcee Hastings (FL).
> 2.        Contact your Representative directly in support of the amendment.
> If you don't have a direct staff contact, can call Capitol Operator,
> 202-225-3121 & ask for your representative.  Ask for Ag LA, at minimum
leave
> short message in support of amendment #75.
>
> TO COSIGN Group Statement, respond to this e-mail or contact me at
> [log in to unmask] 
>
> The Farm Bill is going to the floor TODAY, with debate starting shortly.
> The Hastings amendment is one of 31 of more than 100 filed that will be
> considered.  It will be the fifth amendment considered, probably sometime
> after 1 PM.
>
>         *****
> Letter Text Attached & Follows:
>
> RE:          Support for Farm Bill amendment #75 offered by Rep. Hastings (FL)
>         Pollinator Protection Research & Conservation
>
> Dear Representative:
>
> The undersigned urge you to vote for amendment #75, a Pollinator
Protection
> research and conservation provision which will be offered by Rep. Alcee
> Hastings of Florida during floor consideration of the 2007 farm bill.
>
> This amendment (1) authorizes research funding to address Colony Collapse
> Disorder in honey bees and other factors confronting managed and native
> pollinators; and (2) places a greater emphasis in existing USDA
conservation
> programs on habitat and other pollinator-beneficial best management
> practices to protect and enhance native and managed pollinators.
>
> As recognized in the Committee Report on page 226, "In addition to
wildlife
> benefits, crop pollination represents a major agricultural input,
especially
> for specialty crop producers."  Enhancing pollinator research and
> conservation through the 2007 farm bill to benefit honey bees and other
> managed pollinators and native pollinators will help ensure both essential
> crop pollination services and healthy wildlife ecosystems.
>
> Please support the pollinator protection amendment.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Organizations:
> Coevolution Institute
> Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
>
> Individuals:
>
> ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
> *** Hastings amendment incorporates core provisions of (1) Senator Boxer's
> research bill (S. 1694) [which broadened provisions in Hastings' original
> bill, HR 1709 to include habitat and native pollinator concerns]; and (2)
> Rep. Blumenauer's habitat conservation bill (HR 2913).
> *** Text posted at http://www.pollinator.org/farm_bill.htm. 
> *** CoE has worked closely with Hastings and Blumenauer staff and strongly
> supports the amendment. 
> *** Chairman Peterson as floor managers of the bill reportedly will accept
> the amendment.
> *** Amendment #75 was deemed by House Rules Committee to be in order for
> consideration on the floor [over 100 farm bill amendments were filed].
> *** Key wildlife, conservation and environmental groups in the farm bill
> conservation coalition have agreed to support amendment #75.
> *** The Committee Report can be accessed at
> http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/Legislation/110/FB/Hrpt110-256.pdf.  
>
> Bill as reported by the Committee includes pollinator-beneficial
provisions
> and language:
> -Legislative language, p. 56:  Section 2105, producers are eligible to
> receive EQIP incentive payments for pollinator habitat.
> -Report language, p. 226:  "The Committee included pollinator [habitat] to
> the list of practices eligible for incentive payments under EQIP.  In
> addition to wildlife benefits, crop pollination represents a major
> agricultural input, especially for specialty crop producers.  The
Committee
> encourages USDA to clarify that habitat and other conservation measures
> benefiting honey bees and other managed pollinators and native pollinators
> are eligible for cost-share and incentive payments in other conservation
> programs as appropriate, and to encourage such practices."
> -Legislative language, p. 170 (& p. 339), in Title X, specialty crops
title:
> Section 1001, USDA to report annually to Congress on response to CCD and
> impact on honey bees.
>
> The Manager's Amendment reportedly includes an addition to Section 7411 in
> the research title that would make research involving pollination services
> for specialty crops eligible to compete for grants in the specialty crops
> research program [$215 million over 5 years, mandatory funding].  CoE
worked
> with beekeeping interests in support of this provision.
>
> Future of farm bill reauthorization remains in doubt due to a number of
> issues, including partisan maneuvering.  Nevertheless, it is important for
> pollinator stakeholders to engage in the process and work at each step in
> support of pollinator-beneficial enhancements.
>
> For more info:  www.pollinator.org 
>  
> R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall, Public Affairs Representative for Coevolution
> Institute/NAPPC
>    Van Arsdall & Associates
>    13605 McLane Place
>    Fredericksburg, VA  22407-2344
>    (540) 785-0949
>    [log in to unmask] 
>

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