Awareness of the decline of honey bees and other pollinators took a dramatic upturn after two recent events: the October 2006 release of the National Research Council report “Status of Pollinators in North America” followed by high death rates of bee colonies in the winters of 2006-2008, a phenomenon now called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). All at once, managed pollinators were popularly recognized for what they always were: essential members of American agro-ecosystems.
To respond to this issue, a multi-state team has formed under the CSREES; Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Protection of Managed Bees Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP). In addition to being a sponsor for the eXtension Bee Health CoP website, they have developed another website that showcases the goals and objects for the 4 years of the CAP project. The website is at this link
Bee Informed Partnership