** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE HONEY BEE, APIS MELLIFERA, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL POLLINATOR. THROUGH POLLINATION,HONEY BEES CONTRIBUTE AT LEAST BILLIONS ANNUALLY TO THE US ECONOMY. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S AN INDUSTRY FRAUGHT WITH CHALLENGES.BEEKEEPERS LOSE OVER 40% OF THEIR COLONIES ANNUALLY, MAINLY AS A RESULT OF PARASITES AND PATHOGENS. BEE BREEDERS HAVE RESPONDED TO THESE THREATS BY INCORPORATING RESISTANCE TRAITS INTO THEIR SELECTION SCHEMES. CURRENT BEE BREEDING METHODS WERE DEVELOPED ALMOST A CENTURY AGO AND HAVE YET TO INCORPORATE GENOME-ENABLED BREEDING TECHNIQUES. BEE BREEDERS, RESEARCHERS, AND BEEKEEPERS HAVE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED INTEREST IN INCORPORATING SUCH INFORMATION INTO ON-GOING BREEDING EFFORTS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE LACK OF A THEORETICAL UNDERPINNING FOR THIS WORK IN HONEY BEES INHIBITS OUR ABILITY TO PROPERLY AND REGULARLY INCORPORATE GENOMIC INFORMATION INTO BREEDING PRACTICE TO BREED HEALTHY POLLINATORS. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP AN INEXPENSIVE GENOTYPING SERVICE AND THE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL BACKGROUND REQUIRED FOR BEE BREEDERS TO UNRAVEL GENOMIC REGIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT TRAITS IN HONEY BEE. ULTIMATELY, OUR PROPOSAL WILL ENABLE HONEY BEE BREEDERS TO INCORPORATE GENOMIC-ENABLED PREDICTIONS INTO THEIR BREEDING SCHEMES. IN SO DOING, BEE BREEDERS CAN MORE RAPIDLY SELECT STOCKS EXPRESSING TRAITS OF INTEREST AND BEEKEEPERS WILL KNOW WHETHER A COLONY PURCHASED FROM A GIVEN STOCK WILL EXPRESS A TRAIT OFINTEREST, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO MEASURE SUCH AS DISEASE RESISTANCE.