Wednesday, March 19, 2014

USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Commits to Investment in Pollinator Health Improvement

From ESA Science Policy News March 6, 2014  (Entomological Society of America <esa@entsoc.org)...

USDA Commits to Investment in Pollinator Health Improvement
USDA announced on February 25 that its Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will provide $3 million in funding for the improvement of pollinator health.  Funding will come from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and will be used “to promote conservation practices that will provide honey bees with nutritious pollen and nectar while providing benefits to the environment.”  The funding will be targeted at five Midwestern states: Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.  Funding will be used to “provide guidance and support to farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices that will provide safe and diverse food sources for honey bees.”  Applications are due on March 21, 2014.
Sources and Additional Information:
Additional information can be found in a USDA press release at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2014/02/0028.xml&contentidonly=true

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