<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">NAPPC Funds Research Projects to Improve Honey Bee Health</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) has awarded six new research grants related to honey bee health issues which have been funded by a combination of a <b>USDA APHIS</b> grant and donations from <b>Pollinator Partnership’s (P2)</b> generous donors. Each project will explore one or more identified priority areas that will investigate the stressors impacting honey bees in North America.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The NAPPC Honey Bee Health Task Force, co-chaired by <b>Dr. Olav Rueppell, University of Alberta and Dr. Barry Thompson, Estate and Orchard Bee Keeping, LLC</b>, solicits proposals each January from University professors, researchers, and graduate students who are at the forefront of bee health issues including pesticide exposure, pests and disease, and climate effects, among other areas. Research topics are diverse and aim to support bees and beekeepers, and to educate policymakers and land managers.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">This spring, the <b>NAPPC Honey Bee Health Task Force</b> convened an expert panel to review the proposals, which included <b>Laurie Adams, Jay Evans, Ph.D., Gloria Degrandi-Hoffman, Ph.D., Lora Morandin, Ph.D., Olav Rueppell, Ph.D., Barry Thompson, Ph.D., and Vicki Wojcik, Ph.D.</b> The committee funded 6 outstanding research proposals that will elucidate the complexities surrounding honey bee management and conservation. The following projects have been chosen from many high caliber submissions to the NAPPC Task Force and will report their progress at the annual NAPPC International Conference, hosted virtually, October 19-21, 2021:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Laura Avila, PhD., Nicole Gerardo, PhD., </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">and </span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Berry Brosi, PhD. </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">at </span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Emory University</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> and the <b>University of Washington</b> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">are <span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">investigating <i>bee gut microbiome changes and pathogen prevalence after exposure to agricultural antibiotics</i>.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><br></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Lewis J Bartlett, PhD. </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">at the <b>University of Georgia </b>is <i>trialing a novel insecticide to control small hive beetle infestation and encourage supplementary pollen feeding as part of honey bee health</i>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Adam G Dolezal, PhD. </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">at the <b>University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign </b>is researching whether<i> improved diet quality can ameliorate the interactive effects of sublethal pesticide exposure and viral infection in honey bees.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><i><br></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Brock Harpur, PhD., Keith Pardee, PhD., </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">and </span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Margot Karlikow, PhD. </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">at <b>Purdue University </b>and the<b> University of Toronto </b>are exploring the <i>development of inexpensive CRISPR-Cas12a assays to detect honey bee virii in the field.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><i><br></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Evan Palmer-Young, PhD. </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">at the <b>USDA Agricultural Research Service Bee Research Laboratory </b>is quantifying whether <i>temperature enhances microbiome-mediated resistance to infection in honey bees.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><i><br></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Ilse Ruiz-Mercado </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">at the</span><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></i></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> is exploring <i>climate change mitigation through rainwater harvesting ecotechnologies to reduce drought stress in honey bee colonies in southern Mexico.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">More than 20 donors contributed to the funding of the 2021 Honey Bee Health grants, with the largest funding resulting from a long-standing partnership with the <b>U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service</b>. Honey Bee Health Grants have been distributed annually for the past 14 years, totaling more than $650,000 in research support for 74</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> research programs in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Individuals are encouraged to make tax-deductible donations of any amount to help fund these grants by choosing the “Honey Bee Health Research” option at </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.pollinator.org/donate" target="_blank" style="color:blue"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">www.pollinator.org/donate</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> or by designating donations for honey bee research when sending a donation via mail. You may contact <b>Savannah Autran</b> of Pollinator Partnership at </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="mailto:savannah@pollinator.org" target="_blank" style="color:blue"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">savannah@pollinator.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> or at 415.362.1137 to learn more about the program.<b></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The request for proposals for 2022 research projects will be distributed in November 2021. Visit </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.pollinator.org/honeybee-health" target="_blank" style="color:blue"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">www.pollinator.org/honeybee-health</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> for more information. <b></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">ABOUT THE NORTH AMERICAN POLLINATOR PROTECTION CAMPAIGN (NAPPC)</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="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 180 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 </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.nappc.org/" target="_blank" style="color:blue"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">www.nappc.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">ABOUT POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP (P2)</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="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 </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.pollinator.org/" target="_blank" style="color:blue"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">www.pollinator.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Read and download the full Press Release at</b> </font><a href="https://www.pollinator.org/in-the-news" target="_blank">https://www.pollinator.org/in-the-news</a></p><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><font color="#000000" face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif">Anthony Colangelo (he/him)</span><br></div><div><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font color="#666666" face="arial, sans-serif">Communications Coordinator</font></span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font color="#666666" face="arial, sans-serif">Pollinator Partnership Canada</font></span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font color="#666666" face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#666666" face="arial, sans-serif">PO Box 73619</font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#666666" face="arial, sans-serif">Wychwood PO</font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#666666" face="arial, sans-serif">Toronto, Ontario</font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#666666" face="arial, sans-serif">c: 647-895-2393</font></p></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.pollinatorpartnership.ca/" target="_blank"><img src="https://drive.google.com/a/pollinator.org/uc?id=1AysYk3nyi42IeH6yeErLHUTyektT8Rs1&export=download" width="96" height="39"></a><br><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 20px;width:1119.2px"><div style="margin:8px 0px 0px;padding:0px"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr" style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:medium"><img src="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1LDYQRhFPnqffV-vPPBeV6XOVgKyPGdyy&revid=0BwHW822UDtaRSmFuSlBOckhDTmZUcytqbEF5V29oUVd6Nmk4PQ" width="81" height="96"><img src="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1-duqwA_jrAmUH2VXULyOCGJq-TJJb7MK&revid=0BwHW822UDtaRMnB2TkhteXNLd0xQNTMyc0Vyb29WcmtkeElRPQ" width="96" height="96"><img src="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1BJg07rYsttwFERDmOxIT_yxn_hHSQ51y&revid=0BymBLcwLxZ5qVGFsaWUzcmwvckpwUFovSk1rWEtxSzJ2M0JJPQ" width="94" height="96" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(32,33,36)"><br></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:medium"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:medium"></div></div><div style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:medium"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>