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SEPTEMBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 23 their bees to canola fields in which 90 to 100 percent of those seeds are treated with neonicotinoids. It is a good food source and in my mind it tells me there isnt a problem with the plants that come from seeds treated by neonicotinoids. When it comes to pesticides Bayers CARE Communicating Awareness Reducing Ensure Program has communication at its center. It is important beekeepers and growers communicate with each other being sure there is awareness about wind and potential for drift reducing the potential for exposure and ensur- ing equipment is working properly Langer says. She adds that Bayer has worked with equipment manufactur- ers to find ways to prevent dust from coming off equipment. The company also looks into new products one with a focus on bee repellency. To further these efforts ASTA in partnership with other organizations launched the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge to help increase pollinator habitat. Meanwhile ASTA conducts outreach within the seed industry and among farmers to increase seed treatment stewardship and make sure the active ingredients on the seeds do what they are supposed to and that growers are buying high quality seed. Seed treatments offer farmers many benefits and ASTA will continue its involvement in the process until the EPA registration review process wraps up in 2017. Working Together Companies such as Applewood Bayer and Syngenta are work- ing together to improve the health of honeybees as part of the Honey Bee Health Coalition. Julie Shapiro Honey Bee Health Coalition facilitator and senior associate of The Keystone Policy Center says the diverse multi-sector coalition brings groups together including beekeep- ers researchers government agencies agribusinesses grow- ers conservation groups manufacturers and consumer brands. Together these groups improve the health of honeybees in general and specifically around production agriculture. Our mission is to collaboratively implement solutions that will help to achieve a healthy population of honeybees while also supporting healthy populations of native and managed pollina- tors in the context of productive agricultural systems and thriv- ing ecosystems Shapiro says. The coalition advances initiatives to address the multiple fac- tors that influence honeybee health including hive management forage and nutrition crop pest management and education. Our work aligns with the national strategys goal of restor- ing and enhancing 7 million acres of pollinator habitat federal actions and public-private partnerships she says. The coalition submitted science-based recommendations to the task force emphasizing the need for research and develop- ment. In addition it encourages members to promote agricul- tural practices that benefit pollinators and other insect groups. The coalition also works to advance understanding of honey- bee nutrition and the development of pre-competitive solutions for improving honeybee nutrition supplements. In addition it is advancing communication education and solutions across its diverse stakeholders to control crop pests while safeguarding pollinator health. SW STRATEGY REMAINS EXPLORATORY IN SCOPE If you find yourself wondering exactly what the details are much of the recommendations are still in the exploratory phase thus the many unknowns. One such recommendation that has the potential to increase demand for pollinator mixes is the possible expansion of the Conservation Reserve Program CRP to benefit pollinators. According to the strategy CRP currently has more than 24 million acres enrolled nationwide including more than 1 million CRP state acres for wildlife enhancement and other continuous CRP practices that provide enhanced pollinator habitat with diverse cover types. As part of the strategy the Farm Service Agency FSA will review its CRP practices to identify those practices that are already beneficial to wild pollinators and managed bees and where additional pollinator plantings can be included. CRP Acres for Pollinators Meanwhile FSA has more than 124000 acres currently enrolled in a special CRP category for practicing enhanced pollinator habitat CP-42 and has allocated an additional 76000 acres of land specifically for that practice. Practices that qualify for CP-42 include planting native plant species and a variety of plants that flower at different times of the growing season to provide a diversity of pollen sources necessary for bee nutrition and health. FSA is monitoring the effectiveness of CP-42 enrollments and other CRP practices to document and quantify the benefits to pollinators. Depending on data and stakeholder feedback new practices and acres could be added to the program.