1Designating the week of June 16 through 23, 2014, as "Pollinator
2Week" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Pollinator species such as birds and insects,
4including bees, are essential partners of farmers and ranchers
5in producing much of our food supply; and

6WHEREAS, Pollination plays a vital role in the health of our
7national forests and grasslands, which provide forage, fish and
8wildlife, timber, water, mineral resources and recreational
9opportunities, as well as enhanced economic development
10opportunities for communities; and

11WHEREAS, Pollinator species, such as bees, provide
12significant environmental benefits that are necessary for
13maintaining healthy, biodiverse ecosystems; and

14WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has managed wildlife habitats and

1public lands such as forests and grasslands for decades; and

2WHEREAS, The Bee Law, which appears in Chapter 21 of Title 3
3of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, and other laws and
4regulatory means provide producers with conservation assistance
5to promote wise conservation stewardship, including the
6protection and maintenance of pollinators and their habitats on
7working lands and wildlands and, through the Department of
8Agriculture, register and regulate each apiary; and

9WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association works
10with the Department of Agriculture to promote pollination,
11beekeeping and the production of honey; and

12WHEREAS, Among its activities, the association:

13(1) produces a newsletter ten times per year;

14(2) meets twice yearly to conduct business;

15(3) operates a booth at the Pennsylvania Farm Show and
16Ag Progress Days to promote honey and beekeeping;

17(4) maintains an education program to inspire new
18beekeepers and to continue to investigate avenues to provide
19information to more accomplished beekeepers;

20(5) supports Delaware Valley College and The
21Pennsylvania State University in projects, staff and grant
22requests that further research and continually promote
23beekeeping; and

24(6) operates the Honey Queen Program to promote honey
25and to provide beekeepers across this Commonwealth with a
26resource person to assist in promoting honey in local areas;

27and

28WHEREAS, The Pollinator Partnership is a nonprofit
29organization that protects the health of managed and native
30pollinating animals vital to North American ecosystems and

1agriculture; and

2WHEREAS, The Pollinator Partnership collaborates with
3stakeholders who manage or influence landscapes to do a better
4job of sharing the landscape with pollinators; and

5WHEREAS, The Pollinator Partnership's mission is to protect
6pollinators critical to food and ecosystems through
7conservation, education and research through a National
8Pollinator Week, a North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
9and Ecoregional Planting Guides; therefore be it

10RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
11week of June 16 through 23, 2014, as "Pollinator Week" in
12Pennsylvania; and be it further

13RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives congratulate the
14Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association, The Pennsylvania
15State University Cooperative Extension, Delaware Valley College
16and the Department of Agriculture for their cooperative efforts
17to promote pollination, beekeeping and the production of honey;
18and be it further

19RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives support the
20efforts of the Pollination Partnership to annually observe a
21National Pollinator Week; and be it further

22RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the Governor
23to issue a proclamation urging all citizens to recognize this
24observance; and be it further

25RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
26the Governor, the Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania
27Beekeepers Association and the Pollination Partnership.