Managed Pollinator Protection

Plans –

Status Update

Steven Dwinell

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

National Action for Pollinator Protection

‘National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey

Bees and Other Pollinators’ – May 2015

“Mitigating the effects of

pesticides on bees is a high

priority for the federal

government, as both bee

pollination and insect control are

essential to the success of

agriculture”

In August 2014, the EPA’s Office of

Pesticide Programs expressed interest in

working with co-regulators on the

development of state and tribal

pollinator protection plans.

AAPCO formed Pollinator

ProtectionPlan Committee – Sep 2014

Managed Pollinator Protection

Plan (MP3) Purpose

A way to mitigate the risk of pesticides to bees and other

managed pollinators, while supporting the use of crop

protection; developed through open communication

and coordination among key stakeholders, including

beekeepers, growers, landowners, pesticide

applicators, and pest control operators.

EPA Activity

- June 2015 - ‘Proposal to Mitigate Exposure to Bees

from Acutely Toxic Pesticide Products’

new label restrictions and proposed language changes

‘blooming crops where managed bees are present under

contract pollination services’ – in agricultural settings

Managed Pollinator Protection Plans (MP3’s)

addresses all other scenarios: e.g. foraging bees in/nearby an

application sites, non-contract situations, protections afforded

to native bee species, etc.

Managed Pollinator Protection Plan

(MP3) – EPA Policy

These plans serve as examples of effective collaboration between stakeholders at the local level that can lead to broader awareness of needs and increased cooperation between stakeholders to reduce pesticide exposure for bees while maintaining the flexibility to protect crops. The common element in these plans has been the increased communication between stakeholders, and anecdotal reports from the stakeholder groups suggest that the plans are effective at increasing communication and cooperation.

Managed Pollinator Protection Plan (MP3) –

EPA Policy

The EPA is generally promoting the development of state and

tribal MP3s that cover use of acutely toxic pesticides sites where

there are no bees onsite under contract pollination services; however,

the scope of such plans is not limited to a specific scenario. States

and tribes have the flexibility to determine the scope of an MP3

that best responds to pollinator issues in their region. For example,

the scope could include applications to crops, and commercial

applications to ornamentals in commercial, public, and residential

settings, and other scenarios.

SFIREG Activity

June 2015 - SFIREG Guidance document on MP3

Development

public stakeholder participation process

a method for growers/applicators/beekeepers to locate and

contact each other

recommendations on how to minimize risk of pesticides to

bees (BMP’s tailored for each target)

a clear defined plan for public outreach

mechanism to measure effectiveness of an MP3 and a

process to periodically review and modify each plan

Managed Pollinator Protection

Plan (MP3) – SFIREG Guidance

The primary purpose of a state Managed Pollinator Protection Plan (MP3) is to reduce pesticide exposure to bees through timely communication and coordination among key stakeholders, including beekeepers, growers, pesticide applicators, and landowners.

Pesticide exposure can be minimized if pesticide applicators and beekeepers communicate prior to pesticide applications to coordinate activities and allow crop protection products to be used without unreasonable adverse effects to managed pollinators.

It is the intent that such open communication will lead to practices that both mitigate potential pesticide exposure to bees and allow for the management of pests.

SFIREG Activity December 2015 - SFIREG Guidance Document on MP3 Evaluation –

identified 5 goals areas

1.Behavioral Changes Which Increase Pollinator Protection –

communication, collaboration, practice changes

2. Reducing Exposure of Bees to Pesticides – decrease bee kills due to

pesticides, decreased pesticides in pollen analysis

3. Improve/Maintain Pollinator Health – adequate healthy hive

populations and honey production

4. Compliance – availability of adequate and effective compliance

assistance, label modifications protective to pollinators

5. National Improvement in Pollinator Health – this goal is an overall

goal to show collectively the success of implementation of state MP3s.

A state may choose different or additional objectives, measures or

metrics based on their state’s MP3.

Managed Pollinator Protection Plan

Status

Several groups (NASDA, AAPCO, CropLife America, RISE)

have been collecting information from states on their MP3 status.

EPA is also interested in monitoring the progress of states plans

as they develop. Tribal plans tracking is not complete.

Data exists for all 50 states Completed and developing/ammending additional plans

Complete

In final review

In progress

In draft form

To be developed but not yet started

No plan will be developed

MP3 Data Tracking Elements

Lead Agency

Contact Person & Information

Plan Status

Stakeholder Engagement Process

Apiary Registry

Mapping Service (communication/notification process)

Target Groups for BMP's

Types of BMP’s

Evaluation Measures

Link to Plan

State MP3 Progress

Complete plans - 7

Arizona

Colorado

Florida

Georgia

Mississippi

North Dakota

Tennessee

Final Review - 9

California

Delaware

Indiana

Maine

Montana

Nevada

Utah

Wisconsin

Wyoming

State MP3 Progress

In Development – 20

Alabama

Arkansas

D.C

Illinois

Kentucky

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

New Hampshire

Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Oregon

Vermont

Virginia

Pennsylvania

Washington

West Virginia

State MP3 Progress

To be developed but not

yet started - 13

Connecticut

Hawaii

Iowa

Kansas

Louisiana

Missouri

Nebraska

Ohio

South Carolina

Rhode Island

South Dakota

Texas

Texas and Minnesota have plans outside of Agricultural Sector

No plan will be

developed - 4

Alaska

Idaho

Louisiana

New Jersey

MP3 – Communication Tools

Method for growers, applicators, and beekeepers to

locate and contact each other

Independent or state-based system; Fl, IN,ND, OK, SC

Drift Watch; DE, Il, KS, MI, MS, MO, NE, NM, WI

No mapping system: roughly 30%

Sample contracts and notification forms

Stakeholder meetings and defined process

Public comment, meeting agendas, notices

and general transparency

Updating data

State MP3 Inventory to be hosted at www.aapco.com

under “hot topics”

Updated quarterly or as needed

MP3 Symposium 3/10-3/11/2016

States asked to update data during meeting

Inventory will be emailed later this month

Providing this information does not create or imply any responsibility

regarding managed pollinator protection plans for your state or agency.

This is a request for information only.

MP3 Development Target audiences include:

growers

landowners

farmers

beekeepers – commercial and hobbyist

pesticide users

pesticide applicators

pest control advisors

pest management professionals

general public

homeowners

gardeners

Minimize Risk of Pesticides BMP’s include:

notifications and communication guidelines

hive locations, identification, and moving

label interpretations and guidance

product formulation, application recommendations

adoption of IPM and crop advisors

bee-kill reporting

safe use of in-hive pesticides

maximizing pollinator health

outreach “spreading the news”

MP3 - Forage and Habitat Partnerships and collaborative projects

USDA, US FWS, state level programs

municipalities, counties, and homeowners

public land access for apiaries

habitat creation and enhancement

pollinator friendly home gardens

native wildflower information

alternative cover crops

Many states address native pollinator concerns within

this section

Measuring Success

SFIREG Guidance document

Unique state surveys

Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi

current knowledge, perceptions,

behavior, communications and needs

related to pollinator and pesticide

awareness

survey before MP3 development -

Hawaii, Wisconsin

Progress is expected 2016/2017

Adam Putnam

COMMISSIONER

Thanks!