Cooperative Agreement AP26PPQFO000C380

AWARD PURPOSE - COMPARED TO OTHER LIVESTOCK, HONEYBEES ARE RANKED THIRD, ONLY BEHIND CATTLE AND PIGS, IN TERMS OF THEIR ECONOMIC VALUE. IT IS IMPERATIVE TO HAVE A HEALTHY POLLINATOR SUPPLY IF WE WISH TO CONTINUE TO PRODUCE POLLINATOR DEPENDENT FRUIT, NUTS, AND VEGETABLES IN THIS COUNTRY. HONEYBEE HEALTH CHALLENGES ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARASITES, DISEASES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS. THEREFORE, APHIS IS FUNDING A NATIONAL BEE SURVEY IN AN ATTEMPT TO DOCUMENT WHICH DISEASES/PARASITES/PESTS OF HONEYBEES ARE AND ARE NOT PRESENT IN THE U.S. SURVEY EFFORTS WILL ALSO SUPPORT U.S. HONEYBEE QUEEN PRODUCERS' REQUESTS FOR THE OPENING OF AND/OR CONTINUED ACCESS TO FOREIGN MARKETS SUCH AS CANADA. ROBUST DATA, SUCH AS PAST AND PROPOSED EFFORTS, WILL PROVIDE DATA NEEDED TO REMOVE TRADE BARRIERS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED - USING THE METHODS PUBLISHED ON THE APHIS WEBSITE, SAMPLES WILL BE TAKEN TO ALLOW US TO CONFIDENTLY VERIFY THE ABSENCE OF CERTAIN EXOTIC PESTS INCLUDING TROPILAELAPS MITES AND THE ASIAN HONEYBEE. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH SERVICE (ARS) BEE RESEARCH LABORATORY, MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES WILL BE USED TO QUANTIFY THE PRESENCE OF THE BEE VIRUSES LISTED IN TABLE 1. MICROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE NOSEMA CERANAE LEVELS, AND ESTABLISHED DIAGNOSTIC METHODS WILL BE USED TO QUANTIFY VARROA DESTRUCTOR. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: PROVIDE SAMPLES TOWARD A NATIONAL SURVEY OF HONEYBEE PESTS AND DISEASES AS WELL AS BEE BREAD SAMPLES FOR PESTICIDE ANALYSIS. FIVE APIARIES WILL BE SAMPLED TWICE AS PART OF THE LONGITUDINAL SURVEY AND 14 APIARIES WILL BE SAMPLED AS PART OF THE GENERAL SURVEY IN EACH STATE. BEE BREAD SAMPLES WILL BE TAKEN FROM HIVES USED IN THE LON GITUDINAL SURV THE COOPERATOR WILL ALSO ASK THE BEEKEEPER TO FILL OUT A SHORT ONLINE SURVEY OF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THEY HAVE PERFORMED IN THE 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THEIR APHIS NATIONAL HONEYBEE PESTS AND DISEASES SURVEY SAMPLE. THIS WILL REPLACE THE PAPER SURVEYS OF PAST YEARS' SURVEYS AND WILL BE AVAILABLE ON DESKTOP AND MOBILE DEVICES. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): RESULTS FROM THESE SAMPLES WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE STATE PLANT HEALTH DIRECTOR, STATE PLANT REGULATORY OFFICIAL, STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR, STATE APIARY SPECIALIST, AND THE BEEKEEPER(S) WHO PROVIDED THE SAMPLE. BEEKEEPERS RECEIVING THESE REPORTS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE DATA-INFORMED MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. HONEYBEE HEALTH IS AT RISK FROM FACTORS SUCH AS PARASITES, DISEASES, POOR NUTRITION, STRESS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS. THE NATIONAL HONEYBEE PESTS AND DISEASES SURVEY DATA IS USED TO ASCERTAIN THE SCOPE OF PARASITES, DISEASES, AND PESTS THAT MAY HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON HONEYBEE POPULATIONS IN THE U.S. THIS NATION-WIDE SURVEY IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE HONEYBEE PEST AND HEALTH SURVEY TO DATE AND PROVIDES ESSENTIAL DISEASE AND PEST LOAD INFORMATION. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: NONE.