National Honey Board Funds New Bee Research Projects For 2019

LONGMONT, Colo. (April 4, 2019) – The National Honey Board (NHB) is pleased to announce it has committed nearly $350,000 in 2019 to fund new bee research projects. The health of honey bees is of great importance to the NHB, because in addition to producing honey, honey bees also provide a vital benefit to agriculture through the pollination of many food crops.

"The National Honey Board feels a strong responsibility to help protect the bees. This is why we've been funding honey bee research for more than 15 years," said Margaret Lombard, CEO, National Honey Board. "We're so pleased to be working alongside our partner, Project Apis m. (PAm), who shares our commitment to improving and maintaining bee health, during a time when it is needed most.”

Each research project seeks to improve the well-being of the nearly 2.9 million American bee colonies.[1]Beekeepers today must overcome many challenges, including extreme weather conditions, habitat loss, encounters with pesticides, pathogens, and parasites to keep their honeybee colonies healthy. The more information beekeepers have the better they can care for their hives and the NHB wants to help be a resource by continuing to look at ways to help preserve the bees.

The NHB and PAm joined forces in 2017 to reinforce their commitment to the future of honey bee health. This collaboration streamlined efforts to support the beekeeping industry, by merging the NHB funding opportunities with several other efforts which PAm administers, all of which seek applied impact for beekeepers and growers.

For further information on ongoing and completed honey bee research projects funded by the NHB, visit the Board's website, https://www.honey.com/honey-industry/research/honey-bee-research.

ABOUT NATIONAL HONEY BOARD

The National Honey Board (NHB) is an industry-funded agriculture promotion group that works to educate consumers about the benefits and uses for honey and honey products through research, marketing and promotional programs. The Board's work, funded by an assessment on domestic and imported honey, is designed to increase the awareness and usage of honey by consumers, the foodservice industry and food manufacturers. The ten-member-Board, appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, represents producers (beekeepers), packers, importers and a marketing cooperative. For more information, visit www.honey.com.

ABOUT PROJECT APIS M.

Project Apis m. (PAm) is the go-to organization at the interface of honey bees and pollinated crops. Since 2006, we've infused over $8 million into honey bee research to provide healthier bees, resulting in better pollination and increased crop yields for the grower, and lower losses and better honey production for the beekeeper. We work closely with commercial beekeepers, growers, and top bee scientists in the USA and Canada to direct strategic efforts focused on practical solutions. PAm funds research studies, purchases equipment for research labs, supports graduate students through scholarships to encourage careers in pursuit of science-based solutions to honey bee challenges, and has expanding efforts to enhance honey bee health and nutrition by putting forage on the landscape where bees need it most. We are a 501(c)5 nonprofit organization governed by a ten-member board. PAm board members include beekeepers, pollinators and honey producers representing major national and state industry organizations. We also have six scientific advisors who review proposals with the board. Learn more at www.ProjectApism.org.

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Name: Jessica Schindler

Phone: (303)776-2337

Email: [email protected]