Helping to Protect Honey Bees: Wyman’s of Maine Grants $50,000 to Research Colony Collapse Disorder at Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., March 26 /PRNewswire/ — To speed the search for the cause of an epidemic killing honey bees – and threatening food crops across the country – Wyman’s of Maine, the premier brand of wild blueberries, today presented $50,000 to the Department of Entomology at The Pennsylvania State University. The funds will support research into Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a phenomenon describing the mysterious death of one in three honey bee colonies in the US since December 2006.

Honey bees are responsible for pollinating one third of our nation’s produce, from California almonds to Maine wild blueberries. Every berry that Wyman’s of Maine grows owes its existence to the essential pollination that comes from the honey bee’s dance from flower to flower.

“There is no more direct or urgent sustainable food issue than CCD facing the wild blueberry crop,” said Ed Flanagan, Wyman’s president. “There is no effective alternative to honey bees. It’s simple: no bees, no blueberries!”

Wyman’s of Maine has taken a leadership role nationally in the effort to help beekeepers solve CCD, and eliminate the threat to our nation’s crops. The company provided testimony in June 2008 before Congress in support of increased USDA funding. This $50,000 donation for research at Penn State is sorely needed. The company has also issued a call to action for consumers, noting a portion of their wild blueberry purchases will be used to fund that commitment.

About Wyman’s of Maine

Wyman’s of Maine has been growing and marketing wild blueberries for over 125 years. Still family owned, our fruit comes from over 10,000 acres of our own wild blueberry barrens and from the coastal hills, ridge lines and fields of other Wyman growers from Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. With a focus on sustainable food, the company’s tag line is “Recommended by Future Generations.” Visit us at www.wymans.com.

    Contact:
    Christen Graham, Warner Communications
    207-829-6336; christen@warnerpr.com

SOURCE Jasper Wyman & Son