[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 119 (Thursday, September 21, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S9907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 580--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''

  Mr. CHAMBLISS submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 580

       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 PartnershipTM web site 
     (http://www.pollinator.org) has been created as the source 
     for pollinator information: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,

     SECTION 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.

                          ____________________