nov-dec-2020

IN YOUR ORCHARD THE ALMOND BOARD Interest in Pollinator Health Continues to Grow 2020 marks 25 years of bee health research funded by the California almond industry, via the Almond Board of California (ABC). Over the past quarter of a century, the Almond Board has invested research dollars in a variety of areas, from learning how to combat pests that harm honey bees, such as Varroa mites, to understanding how applications during bloom impact the pollinators we rely on, and so much more. There has never been a crop year, never a bloom season, when commercial almond growing in California has not relied on honey bees, and the industry remains dedicated to improving pollinator health through best practices and continued research. Further, the industry is increasing its understanding of how implementing bee- friendly practices not only supports pollinators but also the almond crop itself. For instance, research increasingly demonstrates that planting cover crops not only supports honey bee and native pollinator health, but also provides a plethora of benefits to growers’ crop and orchards: reduced soil compaction, increased water infiltration, increased soil organic matter, etc. Beyond the topic of bee health within the California almond industry itself, or even the broader agricultural community, one reality is becoming clearer — while the reasons for adopting bee-friendly practices start in the orchard, they certainly don’t end there. More and more, attention on this topic is coming from key almond industry stakeholders, such as policymakers, consumers and food companies, groups who are asking if growers are doing enough to protect honey bees, native pollinators and other beneficial insects. California is home to about 1,600 species of native bees, butterflies, ladybugs and many other natural pollinators. Increasingly, there has been growing attention around the role agriculture can play in helping these species by providing habitat, implementing integrated pest management and other strategies. “There is an opportunity for agriculture to be seen as part of the solution,” said ABC’s Chief Scientific Officer Josette Lewis, Ph.D. “Agriculture has done a lot of good work to address honey bee health in the orchard. Now, we also have an opportunity to be seen as part of the solution on native pollinators.” In order to ensure California almonds are at the table and actively participating in pollinator discussions, ABC is working with Pollinator Partnership, Project Apis m., and other agricultural groups to develop win-win strategies for demonstrating that agriculture can provide benefits to these native pollinator species. According to the 2018 California Biodiversity Initiative report, “The future of biodiversity protection requires partnerships with California’s agricultural and ranching communities to minimize land conversion...The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) can identify 1 ABC’s Honey Bee Best Management Practices offers a complete guide to all pollination stakeholders on how to best preserve honey bee health. View the complete guide at Almonds.com/Pollination. Photo credit: Almond Board of California 4 2 A L M O N D F A C T S