National Honey Board Funds Research For Mysterious Honey Bee Disease

FIRESTONE, Colo. - The latest buzz in the beekeeping world is anything but sweet. A disease of unknown origin is sweeping the nation, killing off entire honey bee colonies. To combat the problem, the National Honey Board (NHB) announced it has released $58,000 in emergency funding to study the phenomenon. Research funding will be used to determine the cause and eventual treatment of the syndrome now called Colony Collapse Disorder.

"It's critical that we provide research grant money to immediately address honey bee colony health as it adversely affects honey producers' livelihoods," said Bruce Boynton, CEO of the National Honey Board. "Honey producers not only harvest pure honey for human consumption, they provide an invaluable service to help sustain many agricultural crops that rely on pollination.

Colony Collapse Disorder threatens both the pollination and honey producing industry, and we view it as a crisis in the industry." Boynton said a research work group is asking for beekeeper assistance in reporting instances of honey bee collapse disorder by participating in the National Bee Loss Survey at www.beesurvey.com.

National Honey Board began funding production research projects in 2004 to help beekeepers maintain colony health without adversely affecting their ability to produce quality honey. From 2004-2006, NHB funded twelve such projects. In 2007, four projects, including the Colony Collapse Disorder research grant, are being funded. NHB conducts research, advertising and promotion programs to help maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets for honey. These programs are funded by an assessment of one cent per pound on domestic and imported honey.