National Honey Board and Project Apis m. to Merge Research Efforts

FIRESTONE, Colo., June 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Project Apis m. (PAm) and the National Honey Board (NHB) are pleased to announce that PAm will be administering the NHB production research funds starting in 2017. This collaboration will streamline efforts to support the beekeeping industry, by merging the NHB funding opportunities with several other efforts which PAm coordinates. The NHB funds are collected by a federal research and promotion program ($0.015/lb) with one of the focuses to conduct research which includes maintaining the health of honey bee colonies. In 2016, these funds were $416,000. PAm administers several initiatives with funding from many sources, including corporate sponsors, private donations and grants. Past proposals received and funded by PAm and NHB have much in common, reflecting similar interests in supporting the industry. Merging efforts means one less round of work for all of our hardworking bee researchers who write proposals, scientific reviewers who read them, and selection committees and administrators who see these processes through. In addition, it will afford us opportunities to see a broader spectrum of projects, put together ideas that have the potential for synergy, and access deeper resources when necessary for projects that may need larger time or money commitments. Increased efficiency to fund and direct honey bee research will save all involved time and money.

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.  

Project Apis m. is the largest non-governmental, non-profit honey bee research organization in the USA. Established by beekeepers and almond growers in 2006, PAm has infused over $6 million into bee research to provide growers with healthier bees resulting in better pollination and increased crop yields. PAm has personal relationships with the nation's commercial beekeepers and the top bee scientists in the USA and Canada. In addition to funding a variety of research projects, PAm produces Best Management Practices for beekeepers and growers, provides Seeds for Bees to supplement bee forage in agriculture, and supports graduate students through scholarships to encourage their pursuit of science-based solutions to honey bee challenges. For more information, visit www.projectapism.org.

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SOURCE National Honey Board

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