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1 1 (September 14, 2015)

handle is hein.crs/govccxs0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 01;0i E~$~ & p\w -- , gnom goo mppm qq\ , q I aS 11LULANJILiN, September 14, 2015 The Administration's National Pollinator Strategy Pollinators including bees, butterflies, bats, birds, and other animal species are not only important ecologically but also play an important role in global food production. Pollination contributes to the production of diverse high- value products, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, forage crops, and other crops. Worldwide, the contribution of pollinators to global food production is valued at about $190 billion each year. In the United States, the value of insect pollination to U.S. crop production is estimated at $15 billion annually. Given the importance of bees and other types of pollinators to food production, many have expressed concern about whether a pollinator crisis is occurring. Recent concern began in 2006, when commercial beekeepers reported sharp declines in managed honey bee colonies. While some losses due to pests, parasites, and disease are common, higher- than-expected loss rates continue to be observed. In 2014, domestic commercial beekeepers reported losing approximately 40% of their honey bee colonies. Eastern monarch butterfly populations that overwinter in Mexico have decreased by an estimated 80-90% in two decades. The value of pollination by bees and other insects to U.S. agricultural production is estimated at $1 5 billion annually. Among other responses, Congress has addressed these concerns through the farm bills. Congress increased funding for honey bee research, authorized pollinator habitat protection in agricultural conservation programs, and provided disaster assistance in the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110- 246). The 2014 farm bill (P.L. 113-79 ) reauthorized and expanded some of these provisions. Recent congressional interest has centered on possible causes of pollinator declines, and oversight of the Administration's activities. Namzt~n~al Stra~zecs In June 2014, the Obama Administration issued a Presidential Memorandum directing federal agencies to take steps to protect and restore domestic populations of pollinators. The memorandum established the Pollinator Health Task Force (Task Force), which is co-chaired by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and includes leaders from 14 executive branch departments, agencies, and offices. In May 2015, the Task Force issued the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators (Strategy). The Strategy outlines three primary goals: * reduce honey bee colony losses to sustainable levels, * restore and enhance pollinator habitat acreage through public and private action, and * increase monarch butterfly populations to protect annual migration. The Strategy emphasizes the importance of pollinators by outlining enhanced pollinator research and federal land management through the engagement of state and local governments and private citizens. It includes (1) a pollinator research action plan, (2) opportunities for developing public-private partnerships, (3) approaches for improving pollinator habitat, (4) an expansion of public outreach and education, and (5) methods of protecting pollinators from exposure to pesticides. The Strategy is an administrative initiative and therefore does not create or expand authorities, but rather prioritizes and coordinates existing authorities and activities across federal agencies. Each of the 14 departments, agencies, and offices involved in the Strategy has developed agency- specific Pollinator Protection Plans. These plans describe agency activities to achieve the Strategy's objectives for both short- and long-term pollinator improvement. For example, USDA's plan utilizes its extension, research, and land management activities to achieve the Strategy's main objectives. EPA's plan utilizes its authority to evaluate the effects of pesticides to inform their regulation and to assist states and tribes in developing their own pollinator protection plans. The Strategy uses mostly existing funding, though it does highlight the President's budget request for an increase in certain agencies' funding for FY2016. The President's budget requests an increase of $33.96 million for pollinator health programs. Of the $33.96 million, $30.41 million would go to USDA activities, primarily research and private land conservation; $1.56 million would go to the Department of the Interior (DOI); and $2 million would go to EPA (Table 1). The Strategy does not identify the current level of federal funding available for pollinator health. The Pollinator Research Action Plan, a separate document accompanying the Strategy, outlines federally supported research objectives to improve gaps in knowledge concerning the impacts of pollinator health. .O 'T

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