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<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Subject: A message from Senator
Ken Salazar<br>
From: Senator_Salazar@salazar.senate.gov<br>
To: inouye@umd.edu<br>
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:22:21 -0400<br><br>
Dear David:<br><br>
Thank you for writing to share your concerns about the honey bee
population. I appreciate hearing from you.<br><br>
America's beekeepers and their bees are an indispensable pillar of U.S.
agriculture. Our nation's beekeepers provide essential pollination
services for over 90 different food, seed and fiber crops, contributing
over $14 billion of added agricultural value as documented by a Cornell
University study in 2000. As you know, a new and unexplained condition
known as Colony Collapse Disorder ("CCD") is destroying bee
colonies through the United States and causing serious reductions in the
supply of bees available for commercial pollination.<br><br>
You will be pleased to know that I, along with 43 of my colleagues in the
Senate, have written a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture Michael
Johanns requesting an expedited report on actions the Department of
Agriculture has taken in response to CCD as well as ongoing plans for
combating the spread of the disorder. We have also requested that the
Secretary identify any additional resources that would be necessary or
useful to combat the spread of CCD.<br><br>
As the Senate Agriculture Committee, of which I am a member, writes the
2007 Farm Bill, this issue will certainly be addressed. Please rest
assured I remain committed to solving this problem, and will continue to
keep your thoughts in mind as the Senate tackles this important issue.
<br><br>
Again, thank you for contacting me.<br><br>
Sincerely,<br><br>
Ken Salazar<br>
United States Senator<br><br>
Please do not respond to this email. To send another message please visit
my website at
<a href="http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm">
http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm</a> and fill out the webform
for a prompt response. Thank you. </blockquote></body>
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