July 24-28, the 1^st International Conference on Pollinator Biology, Health and Policy was held on the beautiful Penn State campus.  In addition to numerous researchers and scientists from the USA, other representatives who attended the conference were from Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Greece, Israel, Kenya, New Zealand, Switzerland and the UK.  This truly global gathering was an unprecedented summit all in the name of pollinator research. 

Just a sampling of the topics presented was Evolving Policies on Pollinator Risk Assessment and Conservation, Impact of Environmental Toxins, Disease Ecology and the Status of Pollinators Worldwide.  What was exceptional about the conference were the exchange of ideas and the channels of communication that were initiated between multiple organizations for what is perhaps the first time ever.

Not only scientists and researchers from major universities and at the forefront of honey bee research  spoke, but other agencies present were USDA-ARS, USDA-NRCS, The Xerces Society, DuPont, EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bayer Crop Science just to name a few.  This diverse interchange was exciting to see and also to be a part of.  PAm feels that the information and ideas exchanged from this conference will have an enormous impact on the health and future of the honey bee, as well as, all world pollinators.

Of particular benefit to PAm were presentations and discussions with EPA and others on honey bees and pesticides, the agencies and funding available for improving pollinator habitat, and the presentations on colony health.