Cooperative Agreement AP24PPQST00C063

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP AND THE ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE (APHIS) IS TO SUPPORT THE PROTECTION OF POLLINATORS AND THEIR HABITAT. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM APHIS WILL BE USED TO ENHANCE THE HONEY BEE HEALTH RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM, THE NORTH AMERICAN POLLINATOR PROTECTION CAMPAIGN (NAPPC) CONFERENCE, SUBSEQUENT POSTERS, POLLINATOR WEEK, AND RELATED ACTIVITIES. THE NAPPC CONFERENCE IS THE DRIVER OF THE COLLABORATIVE WORK EFFORTS MADE BY VARIOUS PARTNERS FOR THE CONSERVATION, PROTECTION, AND IMPROVEMENT OF POLLINATOR HEALTH AND HABITAT ACROSS THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT. THE NAPPC POSTER IS USED AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL ACROSS MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE CONSERVATION ISSUES POLLINATORS FACE. THIS POSTER COINCIDES WITH POLLINATOR WEEK, A NATIONAL PROGRAM DEVELOPED TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION EFFORTS FOR THE PLIGHT OF POLLINATORS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA. APHIS WILL ALSO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO BOTH EXPERIENCED RESEARCHERS AS WELL AS YOUNG RESEARCHERS THEY MENTOR THROUGH THE HONEY BEE HEALTH GRANT PROGRAM. THE APHIS MISSION IS TO WORK TO IMPROVE THE PROTECTION OF MANAGED AND NATIVE POLLINATORS BY CONDUCTING RESEARCH, SURVEYS OF PATHOGENS AND DISEASES, AND REGULATING OVERSIGHT OF POLLINATOR IMPORTS. THESE GOALS HELP THE MISSION OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHICH IS TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE FOOD, AGRICULTURE, AND NATURAL RESOURCES. IN ORDER TO REACH THESE GOALS, GRANTEES WILL BE CHOSEN BASED ON THEIR RESEARCH FOCUSED ON PRIORITY AREAS SUCH AS THE EFFECTS OF PATHOGENS ON HONEYBEE BEHAVIOR, EFFECTS OF NUTRITION ON PEST AND DISEASE INCIDENCE, EFFECTS OF PARASITE AND PATHOGEN SHARED BETWEEN BEE SPECIES, EFFECTS OF CLIMATE ON HONEY BEE PESTS OR PATHOGENS, DEVELOPMENT OF DIAGNOSTICS OR INDICATORS FOR HONEY BEE PATHOGENS, AND DEVELOPMENT OF GENETIC STOCK IMPROVEMENT OF HONEY BEES. THE HONEY BEE HEALTH PROPOSALS WILL BE EVALUATED BY THE NORTH AMERICAN POLLINATOR PROTECTION CAMPAIGN TASK FORCE TO FIND THE BEST FIT FOR THE APHIS FUNDING AND POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP MISSION. THE RESULTS OF THE HONEY BEE HEALTH GRANTS WILL BENEFIT BEEKEEPERS, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.