Wisconsin Ag Connection - USDA to Invest in Honey Bee Food Sources on Private Lands

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USDA to Invest in Honey Bee Food Sources on Private Lands
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 10/08/2015

The USDA announced the availability of $4 million in assistance for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners working to improve food sources for honey bees on private lands in Midwestern and northern plains states. The targeted conservation effort by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service aims to improve the health of this critical pollinator in a region where more than two-thirds of the nation's honey bee population spends the summer months, pollinating crops and building strength to survive winter.

"The future of our food supply depends on honey bees," NRCS Chief Jason Weller said. "This effort partners with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to ensure honey bees have safe and diverse food sources during a time when they need it most."

Honey bees pollinate an estimated $15 billion worth of crops annually, including more than 130 fruits and vegetables. One out of every three bites of food in the United States depends on honey bees and other pollinators. But honey bee populations have suffered significant declines in recent years.

NRCS is working with landowners in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota to make bee-friendly conservation improvements to their land, such as planting cover crops, wildflowers or native grasses and improving management of grazing lands. From June to September this six-state region is home to more than 70 percent of the commercially managed honey bees in the country. These are critical months when bee colonies need abundant and diverse forage to store enough food for winter.

During the first two years of this targeted campaign, NRCS and landowners have boosted available food for honey bees on around 35,000 acres in the five-state region. NRCS expanded the effort into Montana this year because of the state's prominent role in honey production.

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