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<DIV><STRONG>Press release from Senator Boxer's Office</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Contact: Natalie Ravitz (Boxer) 202-224-8120<BR>June 26,
2007
Kyle Downey (Thune) 202-228-5939
<BR>
Kendra Barkoff (Casey)
202-228-6367
<BR><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4><B> <BR></DIV>
<DIV align=center>SENATORS INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO PROTECT AND MAINTAIN
AMERICA’S BEES AND NATIVE POLLINATORS<BR></B></FONT></DIV><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <BR>Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer
(D-CA), John Thune (R-SD) and Bob Casey (D-PA) today introduced legislation to
help research, protect and maintain America’s bee and native pollinator
population and ensure the viability of crops that rely on them for
pollination. <BR> <BR>In recent months, there has been an estimated
loss of over 25 percent of the nation’s honeybee population­a decrease the
USDA has termed ‘Colony Collapse Disorder.’ <BR> <BR>The Pollinator
Protection Act would authorize $89 million in federal funding for research and
grant programs at the USDA over five years for work related to maintaining and
protecting our bee and native pollinator populations. Experts estimate
crops nationwide that depend on a healthy honey and native bee population to be
valued near $18 billion.<BR> <BR><B>“California’s almond crop alone is
worth $2 billion per year and requires nearly one half all the honey bees in the
country,”</B> Senator Boxer said. </FONT><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><B>“The future of that crop and other important crops
such as avocados, apples, berries and soybeans is in jeopardy if there aren’t
enough bees to pollinate them for harvest.”<BR></B> <BR><B>“South Dakota is
the fourth largest honey producing state, and the majority of our bees are
critical to the pollination of many food and feed crops across the nation,”</B>
Senator Thune said. </FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B>“The additional
funding authorized by this bill for colony collapse disorder research and other
honeybee-related problems would a sound investment in our nation’s agriculture
and would ensure continuation of a safe and inexpensive food
supply.”<BR></B> <BR><B>“Pennsylvania’s apple growers are particularly
concerned about the effects of this disorder– 90 percent of apple pollination
comes from honeybees,”</B> said Senator Casey. </FONT><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><B>“This bill is critically important to the future of
Pennsylvania’s apple growers as well as the entire agriculture industry. I
look forward to working with Senator Boxer and Senator Thune to protect our
nation’s pollinator population.”<BR></B> <BR>In May, the Senators sent a
letter along with 37 of their Senate colleagues to USDA encouraging the agency
to take steps to increase Colony Collapse Disorder research. This
legislation would provide USDA with the support and resources to do so on a
sustained basis.<BR> <BR>Senator Boxer added</FONT><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><B>, “It is my hope that this legislation will help
protect beekeepers, farmers and consumers from any harmful consequences,
financial and otherwise, of colony collapse disorder and declines in native
pollinator populations.”<BR> <BR></B>Also cosponsoring the legislation are
Senators Hillary Clinton, Bill Nelson, Robert Menendez, Richard Durbin, Sherrod
Brown, and John Kerry. The bill is similar to legislation first introduced
in the House of Representatives by Congressman Alcee Hastings
(D-FL).<BR></FONT><B><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <BR></FONT>
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<DIV><FONT
size=1>______________________________________________________</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><STRONG>The Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=1>The Xerces Society is an international
nonprofit organization that </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=1>protects the diversity of life through
invertebrate conservation. </FONT></FONT><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=1>To
</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=1>join the Society, make a </FONT></FONT><FONT
size=1>contribution</FONT><FONT size=1>, </FONT><FONT size=1>or read about our
work, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>please visit </FONT><FONT size=1><A
href="http://www.xerces.org/">www.xerces.org</A>.</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>Matthew Shepherd</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>Director, Pollinator Conservation Program</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>4828 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, OR 97215,
USA</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>Tel: 503-232 6639 Cell: 503-807 1577 Fax: 503-233
6794</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>Email: </FONT><A href="mailto:mdshepherd@xerces.org"><FONT
size=1>mdshepherd@xerces.org</FONT></A><FONT size=1> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT
size=1>______________________________________________________</FONT></DIV>
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