Hi All,

Are you all as exhausted by this thread as I am?

Folks, I don't know how it fell upon me to sort fact from opinion and rebut 
the tirade against the native pollinator folk, but it did.
I've made phone calls and sent emails to virtually all involved in the 
process--congressional staffers, CCD team members, leaders of our national 
organizations.
I've been unable to find a shred of support for the premise that the native 
pollinator folk caused our CCD funding to be delayed.  On the contrary, I've 
found abundant evidence that the bee industry has greatly benefitted from 
the Coevolution Institute's lobbying presence, and all their hard work to 
bring about National Pollinator Week.  The bee industry appears to have 
hopped onto the native pollinator train, which was already rolling.

Every player I've spoken to has told me that the bee industry is in debt to 
Coevolution Institute for their support of our agenda, and that there is no 
justification for any criticism of the native pollinator folk whatsover.

This is a historic moment in the bee industry--our two national groups are 
working together to present a common agenda to Congress!  We've been blessed 
also by the hand that the established native pollinator lobby has offered 
us.  This is not the time for bickering, but rather to show the public and 
Congress that we are team players.

Can we move on?

Randy Oliver

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