Plan Bee: Pollinators, Food Production, and U.S. Policy

Pollinators are having a moment. At local, national, and international levels, leaders have recognized the importance of pollination to our food systems and economies, as well as the alarming population declines in bees and other pollinators. President Obama's White House Memorandum galvanized government-wide action to conserve pollinators, and 124 countries recently ratified a United Nations-led assessment of global pollinator status, threats, and value. The reasons for this burst of interest are clear: roughly two-thirds of crop plants benefit from animal pollination, an ecosystem service easily worth hundreds of billions of dollars annually. While both wild and domesticated pollinators are declining, we have learned what is needed to maintain their populations, and with them a valuable input to agriculture. This session highlights the rapidly advancing science, and the dynamic science-policy interface, surrounding crop pollinators. A diverse panel of participants will describe the latest interdisciplinary research on the important roles that both wild and managed pollinators play in our economies and ecosystems. Speakers will also discuss recent efforts to connect these findings to policymaking both in the U.S. and around the world. The session will conclude by engaging the audience in a discussion of key remaining information needs for policymakers and resulting research priorities for the science community.