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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Mike Crapo (R-ID),
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Robert
Menendez (D-NJ), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) are circulating the following letter to
the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairmen and Ranking Member
in support of $20 million for Pollinator Research at the U.S. Department of
Agriculture in FY2011.<br>
<br>
The funding, which was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, would go toward vital
research to combat Colony Collapse Disorder in honey bees and further our
scientific understanding of the fundamental services pollinators provide our
agricultural economy. Please read the attached letter for additional
information.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Senators especially need to hear from the agricultural community:
farmers, bee keepers, crop advisors, organic certifiers, and others who work
directly with farmers. So, please spread the word to your contacts in this
community.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>The deadline for Senators to sign on
is COB Wednesday March 24<sup>th</sup></span></font></b>. If Senators or their
staff have any questions or would like to sign on, they can contact Senator
Boxer’s office.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>To find the phone number for your
Senator’s office, go to: <a name="OLE_LINK1"></a><a
href="http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm">http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm</a><br>
<br>
Thank you,<br>
<br>
Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director<br>
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>March XX, 2010<br>
<br>
The Honorable Herb Kohl<br>
Chairman<br>
Subcommittee on Agriculture<br>
Committee on Appropriations<br>
SD-131 <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Dirksen</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Senate</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Office</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Building</st1:PlaceType></st1:place><br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Washington</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">DC</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">20510</st1:PostalCode></st1:place><br>
<br>
The Honorable Sam Brownback<br>
Ranking Member<br>
Subcommittee on Agriculture<br>
Committee on Appropriations<br>
SD-131 <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Dirksen</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Senate</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Office</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Building</st1:PlaceType></st1:place><br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Washington</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">DC</st1:State></st1:place> 2051<br>
<br>
<br>
Dear Chairman Kohl and Ranking Member Brownback:<br>
<br>
We are writing to request that the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee
allocate $20 million in Fiscal Year 2011 funding for pollinator research
projects as authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill. These funds will increase the
resilience and security of our farming systems by supporting vital research
into Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in managed honeybees and native bee
ecology.<br>
<br>
The USDA starkly warned in June 2007 that the continued decline in bees and
emergence of CCD "has the potential to cause a $15 billion direct loss of
crop production and $75 billion in indirect losses." Pollinators are
responsible for the production of one-third of the nation's food supply, yet Federal
support of pollinator and honeybee research has been historically irreflective
of the importance of animal pollinators in agriculture.<br>
<br>
We often take for granted the indispensable services honeybees and other
pollinators provide. The number of managed honeybee colonies in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place>
has dropped in half since 1940, while demand for pollination services in
agriculture has continued to grow. This year over 1.5 million managed honey bee
hives are expected to be needed for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>
almond crop alone, over half the hives in the entire nation. In other states,
farmers who produce other nuts, apples, berries, peaches, squash, and many
fruits and vegetables depend on healthy pollinators.<br>
<br>
Because of the importance of pollinators in the production of the nation's food
supply and their impact on the stability of our agricultural economy, it is
essential that the Federal government help establish sustainable, long-term,
research initiatives dedicated to protecting the health of both honeybees and
other native bees.<br>
<br>
With broad consensus from farmers, beekeepers, scientists and legislators on
the need to fund pollinator research, this investment will allow our scientific
community to pursue vital investigations into the complex natural systems on
which our nation's agricultural activities are dependant.<br>
<br>
We thank you for your time and consideration of this important matter.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <br>
Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Dianne
Feinstein (D-CA), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Robert
Menendez (D-NJ), and Ron Wyden (D-OR)</span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>_______________________________________________<br>
</span></font><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Mace <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vaughan</st1:place></st1:City><br>
</span></font></b><font size=1 face=Arial><span style='font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Arial'>Pollinator Program Director, Entomologist/Educator <br>
Joint Pollinator Conservation Specialist for the<br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">USDA-NRCS</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">West</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">National</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Technology</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Support</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place><br>
<br>
</span></font><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>The Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation</span></font></b><b><font face=Arial><span style='font-family:
Arial;font-weight:bold'><br>
</span></font></b><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on"><font size=1
face=Arial><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial'>4828 SE Hawthorne
Blvd.</span></font></st1:Street><font size=1 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial'>, <st1:City w:st="on">Portland</st1:City>,
<st1:State w:st="on">OR</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">97215-3252</st1:PostalCode>
<st1:country-region w:st="on">USA</st1:country-region></span></font></st1:address><br>
<font size=1 face=Arial><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial'>office:
503-232-6639 fax: 503-233-6794 <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;
margin-left:0in'><font size=1 face=Arial><span style='font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Arial'>mobile: 503-753-6000 NRCS: 503-273-2442<br>
email: mace@xerces.org <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=1 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Find all the information you need to
conserve pollinator habitat at:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=1 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial'><a
href="http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-resource-center/">http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-resource-center/</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=1 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
The Xerces Society is an international, nonprofit organization that <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=1 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial'>protects wildlife through the
conservation of invertebrates and their <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=1 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial'>habitat. To join the Society, make a
contribution, or read about our <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=1 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial'>work, please visit <a
href="http://www.xerces.org/" eudora=autourl>http://www.xerces.org/</a></span></font><a
href="http://www.xerces.org/"><font size=1 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><br>
</span></font></a>_______________________________________________ <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
<br>
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The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.<br>
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