[Pollinator] Media Release: Corn Dust Research Consortium (CRDC) Final Report

Tue Feb 6 09:36:57 PST 2018

[image: Pollinator_notag]

*February 6, 2018*

*For Immediate Release*

Tom Van Arsdall TVA at pollinator.org 703.509.4746

Kelly Rourke KR at pollinator.org 415.362.1137

*Nonprofits, Industry, Universities Join Together in Recommendations to
Keep Honey Bees Safe during Corn Planting *

The *Corn Dust Research Consortium (CRDC)* announced recommendations based
on over three years of targeted research designed to keep honey bees safe
during corn planting. The CDRC effort, managed by the non-profit,
Pollinator Partnership (P2), engaged stakeholders from beekeeping,
agriculture, manufacturing, research, and regulatory agencies to facilitate
research designed to provide practical guidance to reduce bee-kills and
long-term damage to honey bees as a result of “fugitive dust” produced
during the planting of treated corn seed.

Honey bee exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides has been a growing concern
with the ubiquity of treated corn seed planted in North America and
Europe.  Risk reduction is a primary concern for beekeepers that have
colonies in agricultural areas. *Dr. Reed Johnson, the Ohio State
University, Dr. Art Schaafsma, University of Guelph, and Dr. Jerry
Bromenshank *completed three years of study into risk reduction strategies
that generated best management practice suggestions for US and Canadian
regulators, growers, manufacturers and beekeepers. * Dr. Mary Harris, Iowa
State University* completed two years of study and contributed to the data
used to develop the recommendations.

[image: http://www.pollinator.org/nappc/Images/TaskForces/Ag/IMG_1255.jpg]

The CDRC was created by Pollinator Partnership as a vehicle to fund,
oversee and advise on research projects to further our understanding of
best management practices for mitigating seed treatment exposure of honey
bees during corn planting. This collaboration brings together industry,
academia, government, and most importantly farmers and beekeepers to
address key issues through a collaborative approach that is uniquely
productive.

The CRDC Recommendations can be found on the P2 web site at
http://pollinator.org/CDRC. The recommendations begin on page 132 of the
2017 FINAL Report and are listed by the groups they are intended to
influence: Farmers, Beekeepers, Pesticide and Lubricant Manufacturers,
Equipment Manufacturers, Seed Dealers, Provincial, State and Federal
Government Agencies and Regulators, and Extension Agents, Agricultural and
Commodity Organizations and Agricultural Media.

"We believe that the recommendations are significantly effective in
reducing potential harm to honey bees and we are urging that they be taken
very seriously by every institution involved in this collaboration,”
says *Pollinator
Partnership President and CEO Val Dolcini. *

Funding and participation through the life of this project has come from:

·         American Beekeeping Federation

·         American Honey Producers Association

·         American Seed Trade Association

·         Association of Equipment Manufacturers

·         BASF

·         Bayer CropScience

·         Canadian Honey Council

·         Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association

·         Industrial Minerals Association – North America

·         National Corn Growers Association

·         Pollinator Partnership

·         Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC

·         University of Maryland

The United States Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and Health Canada’s Pesticide Management and Regulator Agency
are key members of the CRDC and have received support for policy actions
and best management protocols from the research findings.

###

*ABOUT POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP (P2)*

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 in support of our mission, or for information,
visit www.pollinator.org.

View the press release online at –
http://pollinator.org/assets/globals/CDRC-2018-Press-Release.pdf

Thank you,

Kelly Rourke

Program Coordinator

Pollinator Partnership

423 Washington Street, 5th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94111

e:  kr at pollinator.org

w:  www.pollinator.org

p:  415.362.1137

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