[Pollinator] Opportunity to Sign Group Letter to Senate Ag Approps in Support of $20 million in FY09 for honeybee & pollinator research--Deadline Friday, March 14

[R. Thomas Van Arsdall]

ACTION OPPORTUNITY:  Sign on to Group Letter [below & attached] to Senate Ag
Appropriations in Support of $20 million in honeybee and Pollinator research
for FY0-9. 
 
	* Two Categories for Signatories:  Organizations and Individuals
[RESEARCHERS, incl those who served on NAS panel, Other Leading Individuals]

	
DEADLINE:  RSVP asap and no later than Friday, March 14 to
tom at vanarsdall.com.  Include how would like to be listed [if individual,
affiliation & city-state].

	* Feel free to FORWARD to others who may be interested.

BRIEF BACKGROUND: 
* While farm bill reauthorization is important, most of the money for
programs derives through the annual appropriations process, which is
currently underway for FY09.
* Sen Barbara Boxer is circulating ATTACHED letter from Senators with same
request, urging colleagues to cosign.  
	+ Casey, Stabenow, Biden and Kerry reportedly have already committed
to sign this letter. 
	+ Contacts to Senate offices encourage them to sign on appreciated.
* Coevolution Institute is also sending separate letter to Kohl & Bennett.  
	+ Others are urged to do the same, or include support for this
provision in any broader comments you may be submitting.
* Administration's FY09 proposal includes $780,000 increase over reported
baseline budget for USDA 'pollinator research' of about $9 million total,
mostly for USDA bee labs and honeybee-related research.

Thanks in advance for your consideration and involvement.

	*****

BOXER AT AL LETTER:

Dear Chairman Kohl and Ranking Member Bennett,

The undersigned urge the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee to allocate
$20 million in Fiscal Year 2009 funding for honeybee and pollinator research
projects. These funds will help provide sustainable research and combat
immediate and pressing challenges like Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and
other factors that threaten both managed honeybees and wild pollinators.  

Honeybees and wild pollinators are essential partners in agriculture and in
healthy ecosystems.  Today, CCD and other threats to the health and
population of pollinators in North America could jeopardize the integrity of
our food supply and healthy wildlife ecosystems.  

Investments in honeybee and pollinator research at USDA have failed to
reflect the seriousness and urgency of threats to pollinators.  The
Administration's proposed increase of less than $1 million for FY09 falls
far short of the investment needed.  The $20 million request is consistent
with the Senate-passed farm bill, which includes a $100 million
authorization over five years for CCD and other pollinator-related research
initiatives.  

Sincerely,

ORGANIZATIONS:
Coevolution Institute

RESEARCHERS/OTHER INDIVIDUALS:


R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall, Public Affairs Representative for Coevolution
Institute/Pollinator Partnership/NAPPC
For More Information, http://www.pollinator.org 

Van Arsdall & Associates
P.O. Box 8512
Fredericksburg, VA  22404-8512
PH:  (540) 785-0949
Cell:  (703) 509-4746
tom at vanarsdall.com


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