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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><img width="163" height="51" id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D3CB73.7AF1A250" alt="Pollinator_notag"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MEDIA RELEASE </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tom Van Arsdall <a href="mailto:tva@pollinator.org">tva@pollinator.org</a> 703.509.4746</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kelly Rourke <a href="mailto:kr@pollinator.org">kr@pollinator.org</a> 415.362.1137</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">April 3, 2018</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Important Honey Bee Health Research Grants Funded </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">New Grants Fund Research on Honey Bee Population Decline </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Donations from <b>Pollinator Partnership’s (P2)</b> generous supporters and a grant from <b>USDA APHIS</b>, have resulted in the funding of 5 new research projects related to honey bee health issues. These projects will conduct valuable scientific investigations that will shed light on the decline of honey bees in North America.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Honey Bee Heath Task Force of the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), under the co-chairmanship of <b>Dr. Deborah Delaney, University of Delaware, Dr. Jay Evans, USDA Beltsville Bee Lab, and Dr. Olav Rueppell, University of North Carolina-Greensboro</b>, solicits proposals each year in January from University professors, researchers, and graduate students who are pioneering novel approaches to understanding honey bee nutrition, genetics, pathogens, diagnostics and pesticide issues. Research topics are diverse and aim to support bees and beekeepers. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">This year the NAPPC Honey Bee Health Task Force convened and expert panel to review the proposals which included <b>Val Dolcini, Danielle Downey, Gloria Degrandi-Hoffman, Ph.D., Lora Morandin, Ph.D., Robyn Rose, Ph.D., Olav Rueppell, Ph. D., and Barry Thompson, Ph.D.</b>,. The committee funded 5 outstanding research projects that advance the science supporting practical applications in honey bee management and conservation. Chosen from the many high caliber applications submitted to the NAPPC Task Force, the following projects have been funded and will report their progress at the annual NAPPC International Conference in Washington D.C, October 16-18, 2018:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Dr. May Berenbaum at University of Illinois</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> is investigating the effect of sub lethal tank-mix pesticides in combination with honey phytochemicals on queen cell nursing behavior and queen quality.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Alexander Burnham at University of Vermont</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> is focusing on shared honey bee and bumble bee viruses and demonstrating the floral transmission route.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Dr. Erin Calfee at UC Davis</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> is studying to identify key loci for honey bee stock improvement using genomic signatures of selection in Africanized bees.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Dr. Marce Lorenzen at North Carolina State University</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> is researching the development of an RNAi-based strategy for small hive beetle control. </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Dr. Rod Merrill at the University of Guelph</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> is investigating natural products to control American foulbrood in honeybees.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The majority of funding for the 2018 Honey Bee Health grants came from a research partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and APHIS with help from National Program Manager, Dr. Robyn Rose. Honey Bee Health Grants have been distributed for the past 11 years, totaling more than $600,000 in research support for 63 research programs in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Additional funding is needed every year and tax-deductible donations are a meaningful way individuals can help honey bees. Contact Kelly Rourke at Pollinator Partnership at <a href="mailto:kr@pollinator.org">kr@pollinator.org</a> or at 415.362.1137 to become a supporter of the program. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The request for proposals for 2019 research projects will be distributed in November 2019. Visit <a href="http://www.pollinator.org/honeybee-health">www.pollinator.org/honeybee-health</a> for more information. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">###</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">ABOUT THE NORTH AMERICAN POLLINATOR PROTECTION CAMPAIGN (NAPPC)</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">For over 15 years, NAPPC has brought together stakeholders form all sectors of the pollinator issue in a collaborative partnership to support pollinator health across the North American continent. More than any other single organization, the collective effort of these 160 plus organizations has made pollinator health a feature in conservation landscape management. From its many Task Forces, NAPPC affects change and moves solid science into real progress on the ground. Managed by the Pollinator Partnership, more can be found about NAPPC at <a href="http://www.nappc.org">www.nappc.org</a>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">ABOUT POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP (P2) </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Established in 1997, Pollinator Partnership is the largest 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the health, protection, and conservation of all pollinating animals. Pollinator Partnership’s actions for pollinators include education, conservation, restoration, policy, and research. P2’s financial support comes through grants, gifts, memberships and donations from any interested party. Its policies are science-based, set by its board of directors, and never influenced by any donor. To make a donation or for information on events during Pollinator Week, visit <a href="http://www.pollinator.org">www.pollinator.org</a>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">See more pollinator news at <a href="http://pollinator.org/in-the-news">http://pollinator.org/in-the-news</a> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Kelly Rourke</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Senior Program Manager</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Pollinator Partnership </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">423 Washington Street, 5th Floor</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">San Francisco, CA 94111</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">e: </span><a href="mailto:kr@pollinator.org"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue">kr@pollinator.org</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">w: </span><a href="http://www.pollinator.org/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue">www.pollinator.org</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">p: 415.362.1137</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/ThePollinatorPartnership"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="40" height="40" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D3C847.BFB575D0" alt="cid:image002.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a><a href="http://twitter.com/Pollinators"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="40" height="40" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D3C847.BFB575D0" alt="cid:image003.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PollinatorOrg/about"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="40" height="40" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image005.jpg@01D3C847.BFB575D0" alt="cid:image004.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/PollinatorPartners"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="40" height="40" id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D3C847.BFB575D0" alt="cid:image005.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://pollinator.org/index.html"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="117" height="52" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image007.jpg@01D3C847.BFB575D0" alt="cid:image006.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a><a href="http://pollinator.org/million-pollinator-garden-challenge.htm"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="60" height="60" id="Picture_x0020_6" src="cid:image008.jpg@01D3C847.BFB575D0" alt="cid:image007.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></body></html>