III 109th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 580 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 21, 2006 Mr. Chambliss submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Recognizing the importance of pollinators to ecosystem health and agriculture in the United States and the value of partnership efforts to increase awareness about pollinators and support for protecting and sustaining pollinators by designating June 24 through June 30, 2007, as National Pollinator Week.

Whereas bees, butterflies, and other pollinator species have a critically important role in agriculture in the United States and help to produce a healthy and affordable food supply and sustain ecosystem health; Whereas pollinators help to produce an estimated 1 out of every 3 bites of food consumed in the United States and to reproduce at least 80 percent of flowering plants; Whereas commodities produced in partnership with animal pollinators generate significant income for agricultural producers, with domestic honeybees alone pollinating an estimated $14,600,000,000 worth of crops in the United States each year produced on more than 2,000,000 acres; Whereas it is in the strong economic interest of agricultural producers and consumers in the United States to help ensure a healthy, sustainable pollinator population; Whereas possible declines in the health and population of pollinators pose what could be a significant threat to global food webs, the integrity of biodiversity, and human health; Whereas the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign, managed by the Coevolution Institute, is a tri-national, cooperative conservation, public-private collaboration of individuals from nearly 140 diverse stakeholder groups, including concerned landowners and managers, conservation and environmental groups, scientists, private businesses, and government agencies; and Whereas the Pollinator Partnership™ web site (http://www.pollinator.org) has been created as the source for pollinator information: Now, therefore, be it

1.

Designation of North American Pollinator Appreciation Week

The Senate— (1)recognizes the partnership role that pollinators play in agriculture and healthy ecosystems; (2)applauds the cooperative conservation collaborative efforts of participants in the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign to increase awareness about the important role of pollinators and to build support for protecting and sustaining pollinators; (3)designates June 24 through 30, 2007, as National Pollinator Week; and (4)encourages the people of the United States to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.