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<DIV>Subject: USDA Announces Colony Collapse Disorder Research Action Plan<BR><BR><BR><BR>To view this article online, visit<BR>http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2007news/ccd.html. <BR><BR><BR><BR>USDA Announces Colony Collapse Disorder Research Action Plan<BR><BR><BR><BR>WASHINGTON, July 13, 2007 - U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary<BR>for Research, Education and Economics Gale Buchanan today announced that<BR>USDA researchers have finalized an action plan for dealing with colony<BR>collapse disorder (CCD) of honey bees. The plan can be read at<BR>www.ars.usda.gov/is/br/ccd/ccd_actionplan.pdf<BR><http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2007news/www.ars.usda.gov/is/br/cc<BR>d/ccd_actionplan.pdf> .<BR><BR><BR><BR>"There were enough honey bees to provide pollination for U.S. agriculture<BR>this year, but beekeepers could face a serious problem next year and<BR>beyond," Buchanan said. "This action plan provides a coordinated framework<BR>to ensure that all of the research that needs to be done is covered in order<BR>to get to the bottom of the CCD problem."<BR><BR><BR><BR>The action plan coordinates the federal strategy in response to CCD. It<BR>addresses four main components: (1) survey and data collection needs; (2)<BR>analysis of samples to determine the prevalence of various pests and<BR>pathogens, exposure to pesticides, or other unusual factors; (3) controlled<BR>experiments to carefully analyze the potential causes of CCD; and (4)<BR>developing new methods to improve the general health of bees to reduce their<BR>susceptibility to CCD and other disorders.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Four possible causes for CCD are identified in the plan: (1) new or<BR>reemerging pathogens, (2) new bee pests or parasites, (3) environmental<BR>and/or nutritional stress, or (4) pesticides. Research will focus on<BR>determining which of these factors are contributing causes of CCD, either<BR>individually or in combination.<BR><BR><BR><BR>CCD became apparent as a problem beginning in the winter of 2006-2007 when<BR>some beekeepers began reporting losses of 30-90 percent of their hives.<BR>While colony losses are not unexpected during winter weather, the magnitude<BR>of loss suffered by some beekeepers was highly unusual.<BR><BR><BR><BR>There is currently no recognizable underlying cause for CCD. The main<BR>symptom is finding no or a low number of adult honey bees present with no<BR>dead honey bees in the hive. Often there is still honey in the hive and<BR>immature bees (brood) are present.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Pollination is a critical element in agriculture, as honey bees pollinate<BR>more than 130 crops in the United States and add $15 billion in crop value<BR>annually.<BR><BR><BR><BR>The research action plan was developed by a CCD Steering Committee, chaired<BR>by Kevin Hackett, USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) national<BR>program leader for bees and pollination; H.J. Rick Meyer, national program<BR>leader for plant and animal systems for USDA's Cooperative State Research,<BR>Education and Extension Service (CSREES); and Mary Purcell-Miramontes,<BR>national program leader for biobased pest management, entomology and<BR>nematology for CSREES. The committee also included other federal and<BR>university experts.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Even before the completion of this research plan, considerable research<BR>efforts have begun to be redirected to deal with CCD.<BR><BR><BR><BR>#<BR><BR><BR><BR>Media Contacts:<BR><BR>Jennifer Martin (202) 720-8188<BR>Kim Kaplan (301) 504-1637<BR><BR><BR><BR>This article is a service of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education,<BR>and Extension Service. News on other topics can be found on the CSREES<BR>newsroom at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/news.html.</DIV>
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