Comments on: We need to be busy like bees to help save them http://www.xerces.org/2008/06/05/we-need-to-be-busy-like-bees-to-help-save-them/ Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:11:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: David Smith http://www.xerces.org/2008/06/05/we-need-to-be-busy-like-bees-to-help-save-them/#comment-129 David Smith Sun, 14 Dec 2008 17:01:05 +0000 http://www.xerces.org/?p=308#comment-129 It is unfortunate that at a time when we may become more dependent upon native pollinators, farmers who raise salad green for pre-packaged salads are being forced to remove native habitats adjacent to their fields. This is to reduce the "potential" that wildlife may stray into the lettuce field and spread salmonella. Pre-packaged salad companies are refusing to accept produce from fields adjacent to brush that may attract wildlife. How many conservation practices implemented by the landowner with assistance by the Natural Resource Conservation Service; such as buffer zones, native habitat, windbreaks, riparian buffers, etc, are being removed to satisfy this demand? We are also currently losing lands that have been set aside in the NRCS Conservation Reserve Program (CRP. Set-aside contracts are not being renewed because producers are looking into raising crops for biofuels. In order to be eligible for the CRP, these lands must be erodible, not the landscape in which we would want erosion-heavy crops like corn planted. Senator Boxer is wise to push forward legislation to fund research into honey bees and native pollinators. It looks like it could not have come at a better time! It is unfortunate that at a time when we may become more dependent upon native pollinators, farmers who raise salad green for pre-packaged salads are being forced to remove native habitats adjacent to their fields. This is to reduce the “potential” that wildlife may stray into the lettuce field and spread salmonella. Pre-packaged salad companies are refusing to accept produce from fields adjacent to brush that may attract wildlife. How many conservation practices implemented by the landowner with assistance by the Natural Resource Conservation Service; such as buffer zones, native habitat, windbreaks, riparian buffers, etc, are being removed to satisfy this demand?

We are also currently losing lands that have been set aside in the NRCS Conservation Reserve Program (CRP. Set-aside contracts are not being renewed because producers are looking into raising crops for biofuels. In order to be eligible for the CRP, these lands must be erodible, not the landscape in which we would want erosion-heavy crops like corn planted.

Senator Boxer is wise to push forward legislation to fund research into honey bees and native pollinators. It looks like it could not have come at a better time!

]]> By: Johndom B. Domagtoy http://www.xerces.org/2008/06/05/we-need-to-be-busy-like-bees-to-help-save-them/#comment-14 Johndom B. Domagtoy Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:22:39 +0000 http://www.xerces.org/?p=308#comment-14 Dear Editor: Warm greetings from the Philippines! I wish to congratulate Senator Barbara Boxer for her unselfish effort to save our precious honeybees. I hope that politicians here in our country would be the same as Senator Barbara Boxer. She is concerned about the environment, agriculture and as well as the BEES. Most often, politicians here are always on grandstanding and eventually after for their self-interests. By the way, modesty aside, I am a simple government employee and a beekeeper /hobbyist concerned also on promoting and conserving our honeybees. One of our main crops, which is coconut, is like haven for bees where it blooms all year round and nectar readily available for bees and other beneficial insects. Once again, I would like to commend your organization for these very fruitful endeavor. More Power! Very truly yours, Johndom B. Domagtoy Coconut Dev't Officer Philippine Coconut Authority Dear Editor:

Warm greetings from the Philippines!

I wish to congratulate Senator Barbara Boxer for her unselfish effort to save our precious honeybees. I hope that politicians here in our country would be the same as Senator Barbara Boxer. She is concerned about the environment, agriculture and as well as the BEES. Most often, politicians here are always on grandstanding and eventually after for their self-interests.

By the way, modesty aside, I am a simple government employee and a beekeeper /hobbyist concerned also on promoting and conserving our honeybees. One of our main crops, which is coconut, is like haven for bees where it blooms all year round and nectar readily available for bees and other beneficial insects.

Once again, I would like to commend your organization for these very fruitful endeavor. More Power!

Very truly yours,

Johndom B. Domagtoy
Coconut Dev’t Officer
Philippine Coconut Authority

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