The Administration’s National Pollinator Strategy

The Administration’s National Pollinator Strategy

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September 14, 2015
The Administration’s National Pollinator Strategy
Pollinators––including bees, butterflies, bats, birds, and
In May 2015, the Task Force issued the National Strategy
other animal species––are not only important ecologically
to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators
but also play an important role in global food production.
(Strategy). The Strategy outlines three primary goals:
Pollination contributes to the production of diverse high-
value products, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts,
 reduce honey bee colony losses to sustainable levels,
forage crops, and other crops. Worldwide, the contribution
 restore and enhance pollinator habitat acreage through
of pollinators to global food production is valued at about
public and private action, and
$190 billion each year. In the United States, the value of
insect pollination to U.S. crop production is estimated at
 increase monarch butterfly populations to protect annual
$15 billion annually.
migration.
Given the importance of bees and other types of pollinators
The Strategy emphasizes the importance of pollinators by
to food production, many have expressed concern about
outlining enhanced pollinator research and federal land
whether a “pollinator crisis” is occurring. Recent concern
management through the engagement of state and local
began in 2006, when commercial beekeepers reported sharp
governments and private citizens. It includes (1) a
declines in managed honey bee colonies. While some losses
pollinator research action plan, (2) opportunities for
due to pests, parasites, and disease are common, higher-
developing public-private partnerships, (3) approaches for
than-expected loss rates continue to be observed. In 2014,
improving pollinator habitat, (4) an expansion of public
domestic commercial beekeepers reported losing
outreach and education, and (5) methods of protecting
approximately 40% of their honey bee colonies. Eastern
pollinators from exposure to pesticides.
monarch butterfly populations that overwinter in Mexico
have decreased by an estimated 80-90% in two decades.
The Strategy is an administrative initiative and therefore
does not create or expand authorities, but rather prioritizes
and coordinates existing authorities and activities across
federal agencies. Each of the 14 departments, agencies, and
The value of pollination by bees and other insects to
offices involved in the Strategy has developed agency-
U.S. agricultural production is estimated at $15 billion
specific Pollinator Protection Plans. These plans describe
annually.
agency activities to achieve the Strategy’s objectives for
Among other responses, Congress has addressed these
both short- and long-term pollinator improvement. For
example, USDA’s plan utilizes its extension, research, and
concerns through the farm bills. Congress increased funding
for honey bee research, authorized pollinator habitat
land management activities to achieve the Strategy’s main
objectives. EPA’s plan utilizes its authority to evaluate the
protection in agricultural conservation programs, and
provided disaster assistance in the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-
effects of pesticides to inform their regulation and to assist
246). The 2014 farm bill (P.L. 113-79 ) reauthorized and
states and tribes in developing their own pollinator
expanded some of these provisions. Recent congressional
protection plans.
interest has centered on possible causes of pollinator
declines, and oversight of the Administration’s activities.
The Strategy uses mostly existing funding, though it does
highlight the President’s budget request for an increase in
National Strategy
certain agencies’ funding for FY2016. The President’s
In June 2014, the Obama Administration issued a
budget requests an increase of $33.96 million for pollinator
Presidential Memorandum directing federal agencies to take
health programs. Of the $33.96 million, $30.41 million
steps to protect and restore domestic populations of
would go to USDA activities, primarily research and
pollinators. The memorandum established the Pollinator
private land conservation; $1.56 million would go to the
Health Task Force (Task Force), which is co-chaired by the
Department of the Interior (DOI); and $2 million would go
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and
to EPA (Table 1). The Strategy does not identify the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and includes
current level of federal funding available for pollinator
leaders from 14 executive branch departments, agencies,
health.
and offices.
Research Action Plan
The Pollinator Research Action Plan, a separate document
accompanying the Strategy, outlines federally supported
research objectives to improve gaps in knowledge
concerning the impacts of pollinator health.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

The Administration’s National Pollinator Strategy
Table 1. Requested Additional Funding for Selected Agencies According to the National Strategy ($ Millions)
Change from
FY2015
FY2016
FY2015 to
Agency
Program
Enacted
Requested
FY2016
DO1
U.S Geological Survey (USGS)
0.00
1.56
1.56
EPA

0.00
2.00
1.50
USDA
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
2.40
2.90
0.50

Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
14.19
21.19
7.00

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
9.66
31.50
21.84
Economic Research Service (ERS)
0.28
0.28
0.00
Farm Service Agency (FSA)
18.00
18.06
0.06
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
3.00
4.00
1.00
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
1.00
1.00
0.00
Total
48.53
82.49
33.96
Source: Pollinator Health Task Force, National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators, White House, Washington,
DC, May 19, 2015, https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/Pollinator%20Health%20Strategy%202015.pdf
Note: This table does not identify base funding, but rather only where the Strategy identifies a request for additional funding.
It is structured around major factors that have been
Response
associated with declines in pollinator health, as identified
The Strategy has been welcomed by multiple stakeholders
by federal experts and reviewed by subject-matter experts.
and interest groups invested in pollinator health. It has been
These factors include pesticides and toxins, pests and
praised for its framework to improve scientific research and
pathogens, forage quality, and habitat loss.
to use public-private partnerships to address pollinator
declines. Several have applauded the Strategy’s multi-
The objectives of the research action plan are based on five
faceted approach, while others question whether the
priority actions that are studied in 10 particular subject
Strategy’s scope is too far-reaching and therefore
areas. In each area, the impact of both individual and
cumbersome to implement. Others have raised concerns
multiple stressors is considered, along with economic
that the Strategy does not go far enough in addressing
influences and ecosystem biodiversity. The priority actions
specific areas of potential pollinator decline (e.g., pesticides
are developing a baseline to assess conditions,
and land use).
understanding stakeholders and supporting their efforts,
evaluating environmental stressors, restoring pollinator
Other stakeholders question the longevity of the effort, as
habitat, and curating knowledge to share.
no comprehensive legislation on pollinator health has been
enacted. While the Strategy does highlight measurable
Federal Land Management
goals, it is unclear what further action will be taken on the
Land management also plays a key role in the Strategy’s
implementation of the Strategy’s recommendations relative
goal of improving pollinator habitat. The Strategy outlines a
to other agency mission needs.
number of actions for federal buildings, grounds, right-of-
ways, and federally managed land; creates a native seed
Additional Resources
strategy; and strengthens federal guidance documents. It
 The Administration’s National Strategy to Promote the
also promotes similar habitat-related practices that can be
Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators and related
used on private land. To support these land management
content may be found at http://wh.gov/iKdGA.
objectives, USDA and DOI issued a document
accompanying the Strategy––Pollinator-Friendly Best
 CRS Report R43191, Bee Health: Background and
Management Practices for Federal Lands. It focuses on
Issues for Congress
general project development and land management
practices that account for pollinator needs.
Acknowledgment
This product was originally co-authored with Shiloh Perry,
Next Steps
Research Assistant.
The Strategy highlights the role of public-private
partnerships and indicates that the Task Force will prepare a
Megan Stubbs, Specialist in Agricultural Conservation and
Partnership Action Plan by the end of 2015. The progress
Natural Resources Policy
and success of the Strategy will likely be measured by how
well it accomplishes its main objectives.
IF10276
https://crsreports.congress.gov

The Administration’s National Pollinator Strategy

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