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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Timely Pollinator Week <u>Action Opportunity</u> on the Farm Bill.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:red'>Deadline: June 22</span></b>!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://goo.gl/forms/EPMOjutgwPkniUzV2">Click Here</a> to add your organization. Consider circulating to others who might be interested.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><u>Background</u>:<o:p></o:p></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>The Honey Bee Health Coalition is circulating the group letter below. <o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Basic ‘Ask’: “Urging continuation of current levels of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) cost-share for practices for conservation establishment and for seed” [<i>same issue applies to effectiveness of full range of conservation practices</i>].<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>A variety of beekeeping, crop production, business, and NGO groups are signing on. <o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Pollinator Partnership is signing. <o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*****************************<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>June XX, 2018 - DRAFT<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:auto'></span><div class=WordSection2><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>The Hon. Pat Roberts<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>328A Russell Senate Office Building<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Washington, DC, 20510<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>The Hon. Michael Conaway<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Chairman, U.S. House Committee on Agriculture<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>1301 Longworth House Office Building<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Washington, DC 20515<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>The Hon. Debbie Stabenow<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>328A Russell Senate Office Building<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Washington, DC, 20510<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>The Hon. Collin Peterson<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Ranking Member, U.S. House Committee on Agriculture<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>1301 Longworth House Office Building<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Washington, DC 20515<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:auto'></span><div class=WordSection3><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span><div class=WordSection4><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Senators Roberts and Stabenow and Congressmen Conaway and Peterson,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>The undersigned organizations represent beekeepers, farmers, sportsmen, conservationists, and agriculture business leaders. As the process for reauthorizing the Farm Bill moves forward in the House and Senate, we write to urge continuation of current levels of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) cost-share for practices for conservation establishment and for seed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Honey bees and other pollinators are a vital part of U.S. agriculture — supporting production of most of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables grown in the United States, with an approximate $19 billion in agricultural production annually. Honey bees and other pollinators like the monarch butterfly face a variety of challenges including poor nutrition due to lack of forage and habitat. Private lands offer a critical, scalable opportunity to sufficiently increase honey bee forage as well as habitat for pollinators and other species. As traditional stewards of the land, farmers, ranchers and landowners are uniquely situated to establish, enhance and expand habitat for honey bees, pollinators and other species on a large scale. In addition to supporting the nation’s pollination needs, CRP practices provide essential benefits to wildlife, soil health, and water systems. Over the years, conservation programs have become important, reliable tools for farmers and ranchers to meet conservation objectives.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Conservation programs must be cost-effective and affordable to incentivize participation. Reduction of cost-share for these practices and for the seed necessary to establish cover may make them cost-prohibitive and result in decreases in high-quality forage and habitat. Continued levels of cost-share for Farm Bill conservation programs should be accompanied by provisions to ensure high-quality forage and habitat as well as mid-contract management opportunities to ensure successful establishment of conservation plantings. If the goal of Congress is to reduce the cost of seed mixes in conservation plantings, more must be done at the state level to evaluate seed mix recommendations.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>We thank you for the opportunity to express our support for current levels of CRP cost-share, and we look forward to working with you and your colleagues to ensure Title II maintains and supports the demand, popularity, and necessity of Farm Bill conservation programs. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Garamond",serif'>(organization list)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Director of Public Affairs<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(703) 509-4746<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:TVA@pollinator.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>TVA@pollinator.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.pollinator.org/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Pollinator Partnership</span></a><o:p></o:p></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 style='width:.4166in;height:.4166in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D407B3.AFF29C80" alt="cid:image001.jpg@01D15E89.826C9660"></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 style='width:.4166in;height:.4166in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D407B3.AFF29C80" alt="cid:image002.jpg@01D15E89.826C9660"></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 style='width:.4166in;height:.4166in' id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D407B3.AFF29C80" alt="cid:image003.jpg@01D15E89.826C9660"></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 style='width:.4166in;height:.4166in' id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D407B3.AFF29C80" alt="cid:image004.jpg@01D15E89.826C9660"></span></a><o:p></o:p></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 style='width:1.2222in;height:.5416in' id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image005.jpg@01D407B3.AFF29C80" alt="cid:image005.jpg@01D15E89.826C9660"></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 style='width:.625in;height:.625in' id="Picture_x0020_6" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D407B3.AFF29C80" alt="cid:image006.jpg@01D15E89.826C9660"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
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