Creating a Buzz about Pollinators

Talking points prepared for Gary W. Mast, USDA Deputy Under-Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment, for use in addressing Pollinator Field Day attendees at the Natural Resources Conservation Service National Plant Materials Center.
Beltsville, Maryland
June 26, 2008
 

Thanks, John [Englert]. Good morning, and welcome to the NRCS National Plant Materials Center “Pollinator Field Day.” I love coming out here to Beltsville—although it’s a quick trip from USDA headquarters downtown, it feels a world away.

This morning’s event is one of many activities taking place across the nation and creating a lot of buzz during this second annual National Pollinator Week. 27 governors from around the country have followed Secretary of Agriculture Schafer’s lead in setting the week aside to focus attention on the importance of pollinators in sustaining a healthy food supply, here in the U.S. and abroad.

Pollination also plays a vital role in the health of our national forests and grasslands, as well as private farm and ranchlands. Together, these areas provide forage, fish and wildlife, timber, water, mineral resources and recreational opportunities, as well as enhanced economic development opportunities for communities.

We all know that keeping pollinator populations healthy is critical to maintaining our own quality of life, yet I continue to be amazed by the far-reaching impact of our “mobile animal partners.”

Let me share a few statistics with you:

About 200,000 species of animals act as pollinators. Of those, about 1,000 are birds, bats, and small mammals such as mice. The rest are insects like beetles, bees, ants, wasps, butterflies and moths.

Between 225,000 and 250,000 plant species worldwide depend upon pollination, and approximately three-fourths of them rely upon animal pollinators to provide this service.

It has been estimated that 1 out of every 3 mouthfuls of food, spices and condiments we eat, and the beverages we drink, depends upon animal pollinators. These foods and beverages include some of my personal favorites: tequila, apples, bananas, blueberries, melons, peaches, potatoes, almonds, chocolate, coffee, pumpkins, and vanilla.

Wait a minute! Without animal pollinators, there would be no apple pie à la mode! ... or no devil’s food cake! … and no lattés to wash them down with! What a horrible thing to contemplate!

All kidding aside, we have reason to be concerned about the health of pollinators, and bee populations, especially. There are an estimated 25,000 species of bees that pollinate one-third of the world’s crops. The value of this service is calculated to be $70 billion annually, worldwide.

But scientists from nearly every continent have been documenting dramatic declines in their native bee populations in recent decades. In China, many fruit growers are pollinating flowers by hand because improper pesticide use has killed the bees in the orchards. And nearly two-thirds of Britain’s 25 species of bumble bees are in decline.

Reports of global pollinator declines over the past decade led to concerns in the United States about a brewing “pollinator crisis.” So, in 2004, USDA and the U.S. Geological Survey asked the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council to examine data on pollinator status in North America.

We asked the Council to determine whether pollinators are experiencing declines, what the causes of such declines may be, what the potential consequences could be in agricultural and natural ecosystems, and whether and how declines can be reversed or prevented.

Their report, issued in 2006, confirmed evidence of decline of some pollinator species in North America, including our most important managed pollinator—the honey bee—as well as some butterflies, bats, and hummingbirds.

This report also outlined priorities for research and monitoring needed to improve information on the status of pollinators, and it established a framework for conservation and restoration of pollinator species and communities.

I am proud to say that USDA and our partners have taken the report and its recommendations seriously. We established a USDA Pollinator Protection Committee, to facilitate collaboration and information sharing across the department. This has proven extremely valuable and ensures that all 11 USDA-agencies with an interest in pollinators are working together to address concerns.

These agencies include the Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS. NRCS Plant Materials Centers, including this one, are critical to providing conservation plants and technology that support pollinators. I am really glad you joined us today to learn more about these activities and how USDA, NRCS and other conservation partners are working to enhance pollinator habitat.

We invite you to tour our pollinator-friendly plantings and to visit our pollinator-related exhibits, and we hope you will enjoy some food that we have the pleasure of eating thanks to the services of our pollinator partners. Please help us spread the word about the importance of pollination to our agricultural industry and our quality of life.