Cooperative Agreement AP24PPQFO000C258

1. AWARD PURPOSE: POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP AIMS TO CONDUCT TARGETED OUTREACH AND AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT KEEPING TROPILAELAPS SPP. MITE FROM ESTABLISHING IN NORTH AMERICA AND PREPARE THE LARGER APIARY COMMUNITY TO RESPOND TO ITS POTENTIAL ARRIVAL. TROPILAELAPS-SPECIFIC TARGETED OUTREACH PROGRAM (TROPI-STOP) WILL SERVE AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR THE BEEKEEPING COMMUNITY, APIARY INSPECTORS, PORT AUTHORITIES, AND REGULATORS THAT WILL LEAD TO THE ENHANCED SAFEGUARDING OF HONEY BEE HEALTH. TROPI-STOP WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF APIARY PROFESSIONALS ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR, RECOGNIZING, AND ACTING ON THIS HIGH-CONSEQUENCE HONEY BEE COLONY THREAT. 2. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: TROPI-STOP WILL RAISE AWARENESS THROUGH THE CREATION AND USAGE OF A WALLET SIZED IDENTIFICATION CARD - PROMOTING ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS OF MITE INFESTATIONS. DIRECT ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE SETTING UP BOOTHS AND PRESENTING AT CONVENTIONS AND REGIONAL MEETINGS. THERE THEY WILL GET IDEAS FROM OUTREACH EVENT PARTICIPANTS AND SEEK PHOTO AND VIDEO CONTENT CONTRIBUTIONS. DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES WILL TIME ONLINE POSTS TO MAKE THEM MORE EFFECTIVE. THEY WILL WRITE AND APPROVE A TRAINING MANUAL AND ARTICLES ABOUT TROPILAELAPS, IN ORDER TO MAKE IT TOP-OF-MIND WITH INSPECTORS (BOTH APIARY AND PORT) AS WELL AS WITH BEEKEEPERS, RESEARCHERS, PROFESSORS, AND REGULATORS. 3. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: SUCCESS OF DIRECT OUTREACH EVENTS WILL BE JUDGED BY THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS, QUESTIONS ASKED AT EVENTS, AND IF EVENTS LEAD TO PAR TICIPATION IN THE CONNECTION NETWORK. SUCCESS OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH ACTIONS, SUCH AS POSTS/EVENTS/FORMS/VIDEOS, WILL BE MEASURED (TO THE EXTENT MEASUREMENT IS FEASIBLE) BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO, LISTENED TO, WATCHED, FILLED OUT, OPENED, VIEWED, AND/OR SHARED THEM. 4. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): TROPI-STOP STARTS WITH THE PROTECTION OF HONEY BEE COLONIES THAT ALREADY FACE MULTIPLE THREATS EVERY YEAR WITH INCREASED MOVEMENT OF POTENTIAL PESTS AND DISEASES AROUND THE WORLD. THE ECONOMIC AND FOOD SECURITY IMPACT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF TROPILAELAPS INTO NORTH AMERICA WOULD BE STAGGERING. THE LIKELIHOOD OF THIS CAN BE PREVENTED WITH IMMEDIATE ACTION AND EDUCATION TO INFORM TARGETED AUDIENCES THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST LIKELIHOOD OF IDENTIFYING AND RESPONDING TO A SUSPECT SITUATION. THE SECONDARY BENEFITS INCLUDE PROVIDING RESOURCES BY WHICH APIARY INSPECTORS, PORT AUTHORITIES, SCIENTISTS, AND BEEKEEPERS CAN QUICKLY IDENTIFY, AND PROPERLY ADDRESS TROPILAELAPS THREATS TO HONEY BEE COLONIES, BUT ALSO PROVIDE COMMUNICATION CONDUITS ACROSS SECTORS THAT CAN INCREASE CONNECTIVITY IN THE FACE OF AN INTRODUCTION. THESE STRENGTHENED COMMUNICATION LINKS CAN BE EXERCISED THROUGH AN EDUCATED NETWORK OF PROFESSIONALS THAT CAN RESPOND TO THESE YET UNKNOWN THREATS TO HONEY BEE COLONIES. 5. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS (RAMSEY, PETTIS, DOWNEY, AND APIARY INSPECTORS OF AMERICA) WILL PROVIDE INPUT, REVIEW MATERIALS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO TRAINING.