MEDIA ADVISORY   CONTACT: TOM VAN ARSDALL (540) 785-0949
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      MARCH 27, 2007  
 
COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER IN HONEY BEES
A SIGNIFICANT WAKEUP CALL THAT POLLINATORS ARE AT RISK
 
House Ag Subcommittee to review CCD and implications for ag, food and ecosystems
 
WASHINGTON, DC –The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture has
scheduled a hearing for March 29, 2007 starting at 10:00 AM in 1302 Longworth House Office Building to
review colony collapse disorder (CCD) in honey bee colonies across the United States, and implications
for agriculture and the food we eat and possible ecosystem impacts.  
 
“While we don’t know enough yet to be able to conclude responsibly what is causing Colony Collapse
Disorder, we do know that beekeepers in 26 states (and now occurrences in Europe) are reporting
catastrophic losses,” said Dr. Stephen Buchmann, North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
(NAPPC) International Coordinator and noted scientist.  “This is a significant wakeup call that we can no
longer take honey bees and other animal pollinators for granted.”  
 
Possibly similar to "disappearing disease" of past decades, CCD may be caused by a convergence of
factors (mites, viruses, bee diseases, pesticides and other environmental stresses) which may have
weakened bees’ immune systems. 
 
"Immediate funding for objective, rigorous science is needed to address this problem as well as an
assessment of the entire pollination network,” added Laurie Davies Adams, Executive Director of the
Coevolution Institute and NAPPC.  “That's the only way to address CCD and also prevent future,
potentially even more serious, problems."
 
CoE is calling for actions that can be taken now, including (1) improved conservation practices by farmers
to protect pollinators and habitat; (2) strengthening conservation and research authorities during farm bill
reauthorization; and (3) focusing and coordinating federal agency efforts to address CCD and pollinator
conservation efforts.
 
The witness list will include (1) Dr. May Berenbaum, who chaired a recent National Academy report on
the “Status of Pollinators: Monitoring and Prevention of their Decline in North America;” (2) a panel of
researchers; and (3) a panel of producers and bee keepers.  CoE is filing a statement for the record, and
a copy is available by request.
 
BEE Ready for National Pollinator Week, June 24-30, 2007.  Events are being planned in our Nation’s
capitol and throughout the country to celebrate and raise public awareness about our pollinating partners
and the need to take actions that protect pollinators and their habitat.  For more information, go to
http://www.pollinator.org.
 
The mission of CoE is to catalyze stewardship of biodiversity.  CoE places a high priority on efforts to
protect and enhance animal pollinators (invertebrates, birds and mammals) and their habitats in both
working and wild lands.  More information about CoE may be accessed at http://www.coevolution.org. 
CoE facilitates the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), a tri-national collaboration
working to promote awareness and scientific understanding of pollinators; gather, organize and
disseminate information about pollinators; provide a forum to identify and discuss pollinator issues; and
promote projects, initiatives and activities that enhance pollinators.  For more information about NAPPC,
go to http://www.nappc.org.  
 
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