{"id":7478,"date":"2012-06-22T11:31:24","date_gmt":"2012-06-22T21:31:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=7478"},"modified":"2021-04-01T16:51:28","modified_gmt":"2021-04-02T02:51:28","slug":"funding-appropriated-for-beehive-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2012\/06\/22\/funding-appropriated-for-beehive-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Funding appropriated for beehive research"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> and Hawaiʻi<\/span> Department of Agriculture officials with Governor Neil Abercrombie following the signing of House Bill 2100.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At ceremonies at the Hawaiʻi<\/span> State Capitol this week, Governor Neil Abercrombie proclaimed June 18–24 as “Hawaiʻi<\/span> Pollinator Week” and signed a bill into law that appropriates funds to the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span><\/a> for statewide beehive research.<\/p>\n

House Bill 2100 appropriates $30,000 for beehive research done in consultation with the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Department of Agriculture<\/a> on Hawaiʻi<\/span> Island, Maui, Oʻahu<\/span> and Kauaʻi<\/span>.<\/p>\n

The funding will aid in Hawaiʻi<\/span>’s fight to control pests and diseases that have been impacting the state’s bee populations. This includes work being performed at 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> Hilo’s 110-acre Agricultural Farm Laboratory<\/a> in Panaʻewa<\/span> to develop more efficient methods for controlling the small hive beetle, a major pest of honeybee hives on Hawaiʻi<\/span> Island.<\/p>\n

糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> Hilo Chancellor Donald Straney<\/strong> attended the signing along with 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> Hilo Professor of Entomology Lorna Tsutsumi<\/strong>, 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> System Vice President Rockne Freitas<\/strong> and officials from the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Department of Agriculture.<\/p>\n

“Bees are particularly important as pollinators for our macadamia nut and coffee industries; bee-pollinated crops contribute about $106 million to our local economy,” said Abercrombie. “The University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> is leading research that will help to protect many of Hawaiʻi<\/span>’s own native pollinators, including seven species of yellow-faced bees that are candidates for the endangered species list.”<\/p>\n

Hawaiʻi<\/span> Pollinator Week coincides with National Pollinator Week to raise awareness of the issue of declining pollinator populations. Loss of beehives is a threat to the agricultural economy on all islands because bees are necessary to pollinate many crops.<\/p>\n

Media coverage of the bill signing:<\/p>\n