We hope you’re finding time to enjoy the fall as we know it’s been a busy season for many! Bayer’s Bee Health team has been busy as well, and we wanted to update you on several recent and upcoming events – including Bayer’s involvement – of critical importance to honey bees and other pollinators.

 

 Most recently, we’ve had the opportunity to participate in discussions and workshops on the topic of pollinator health. The following provides you with a brief update on those activities:

 

 EPA’s Pollinator Risk Assessment (PRA) Strategic Advisory Panel (9/11 – 14)

 

The Panel met at the EPA in Washington, DC to consider and review the Pollinator Risk Assessment Framework. EPA staff walked the Panel members through the components and methodologies of the proposed (PRA) framework, with both crop protection company representatives and members of the public able to comment on pros and cons of the PRA framework. Bayer’s Dr. David Fischer was on hand and provided several meaningful and insightful comments supporting the PRA process.

 

 Causal Analysis of Honey Bee Declines  (9/25 – 28)

 

Exponent, Inc., in conjunction with Bayer, sponsored a 2½-day workshop on the causal analysis of the observed declines in managed honey bees. The goal of the workshop was to develop an organized framework that will support an objective approach to diagnosing the cause(s) of bee declines, using a formal Causal Analysis methodology. Results of this workshop will help Bayer and other concerned companies or agencies identify key research on honey bee health.

 

USDA National Stakeholders Meeting on Honey Bee Health (10/15 – 16)

 

Hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Colony Collapse Disorder Steering Committee and Pennsylvania State University, the stakeholder meeting focused on the primary potential factors affecting honey bee health, including nutrition, pesticides, pests and pathogens, and bee biology and colony management. Bayer was pleased to have three people attend the meeting: Iain Kelly, Dick Rogers and Dr. David Fischer.

 

North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (10/17 – 19)

 

Bayer representatives attended the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), a collaborative group of over 130 organizations and individuals who promote and implement a continent-wide Action Plan to encourage activities to protect the numbers and health of all pollinating animals. NAPPC is managed by the Pollinator Partnership (P2), which works to protect the health of managed and native pollinating animals vital to our North American ecosystems and agriculture.

 

Bee Health Ambassador Training Program

 

Developed by Bayer, this initiative is designed to help employees address bee health-related questions they might get when interacting with customers, beekeepers and the public. During the training sessions, the Bee Health team takes attendees through a series of scenarios that simulate some of the bee health questions and situations they might experience out in the real world.  Bee Ambassadors have been active at local bee keeper meetings, customer events, tours at Beesboro facility in Clayton, NC and at various tradeshows.

 

In addition, this coming week you may also hear chatter related to additional bee health related events:

 

Article in the Nature (10/21)

 

The scientific journal Nature published an article on the effects of combined chronic exposure to imidacloprid and lambda-cyfluthrin on bumblebee colonies. The researchers claim this combined exposure has led to significantly increased rates of worker mortality and colony failure. While Bayer is not mentioned in the study, the prominence of the publication may prompt media to reach out to us for comment. We are referring inquiries to CropLife America (CLA), our industry trade association. As in the past, if you need additional support on this, please contact Bayer’s media hotline at: 1-877-879-6162.

 

 Rally at the EPA in Washington, DC (10/25)

 

Bayer is aware of a rally – organized by Beyond Pesticides, Pesticide Action Network, Center for Food Safety and Sierra Club – taking place this coming week at the EPA’s DC headquarters. Speakers will include the director of the film “The Vanishing of the Bees.”  We are addressing this challenge by working with CLA, a key industry partner, as follows:

 

CLA is circulating an opinion-editorial to provide balance and perspective on the bee health issue prior to the rally.

 

·         CLA is also issuing a press release to reaffirm both CLA and its member companies’ commitment to bee health to stakeholders beyond the Washington, DC area.

 

·         We are prepared to engage in appropriate media outreach if the event receives attention in the media.

 

As always, we welcome any questions you might about the information above, or feel free to contact Robyn Kneen (robyn.kneen@bayer.com), the head of the North American Bee Care Program. In an earlier email you received a copy of the brochure outlining Bayer’s ongoing commitment to bee health.  You may visit our Bee Health Website (www.bayercropscience.us/our-commitment/bee-health) for more information.