As part of its commitment to protect pollinators, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is calling for nominations for a new USDA National Pollinator Subcommittee.
The Subcommittee will make pollinator health-related recommendations and provide input on annual USDA strategic pollinator priorities and goals as part of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board.
“USDA takes very seriously our duty to protect pollinators so that they can continue to play a critical role in our food production system,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Pollinator species help produce more than 100 crops grown in the United States. We are keenly interested in understanding the stressors that impact pollinators, including climate change, pests, pathogens and reduced forage.”
USDA expects to appoint seven new members to serve 1–3 years with terms anticipated to start in July 2022.