From Bees to Monarchs: Celebrating Pollinator Week and Vision 2040

As we celebrate Pollinator Week 2024, we reflect on this year’s theme, “Vision 2040: Thriving ecosystems, economies, and agriculture.” It serves as a reminder of the integral role pollinators play in our world. Both the Honey Bee Health Coalition and Farmers for Monarchs, facilitated by the Keystone Policy Center, are committed to fostering environments where pollinators can flourish.

Honey Bee Health Coalition: A Decade of Dedication

This year is especially significant for the Honey Bee Health Coalition as it commemorates its tenth anniversary, marking a decade of dedication to honey bee health and sustainable agricultural practices. Since its inception in 2014, the Honey Bee Health Coalition has been a leading force in addressing the challenges faced by honey bees. Its mission is to improve the health and productivity of honey bees through a collaborative approach involving diverse stakeholders. In line with this year’s Pollinator Week theme, HBHC is presenting a comprehensive Pollinator Toolkit, designed to support beekeepers and farmers in creating a thriving environment for honey bees.

Honey Bee Pollinator Toolkit Resources

• Varroa Management: Effective hive management strategies to combat the varroa destructor, a significant threat to honey bee colonies. Explore HBHC’s Varroa Management page for detailed guidance.
• Corn Best Management Practices (BMP): Learn about the best practices for managing corn crops in a way that protects and supports pollinator health. Visit the Corn BMP page.
• Soybean Best Management Practices: Discover strategies to manage soybean cultivation while promoting pollinator well-being. Check out the Soy BMP page.
• Canola Best Management Practices: Find out how to protect pollinators within productive canola fields. Access the Canola BMP page.
• Apple Best Management Practices: Understand the best practices for apple orchard management that benefit pollinators. Visit the Apple BMP page.
• Protecting Honey Bees in Production Agriculture: This training resource provides essential knowledge for safeguarding honey bees in agricultural settings. Learn more on the Protecting Honey Bees in Agriculture page.
• Varroacide Resistance and Testing Team (VRTT): Stay informed about varroacide resistance and testing methods to ensure effective Varroa control. Learn more about the VRTT.
• Honey Bee Nutrition Guide: Access insights into honey bee nutrition supplements, based on beekeeper feedback, to enhance colony health. Download the Honey Bee Nutrition Guide.

As the Honey Bee Health Coalition looks forward to the next decade, its vision is to continue fostering a collaborative environment where honey bees can thrive alongside sustainable agricultural practices.

Farmers for Monarchs: Promoting Monarch and Pollinator Habitat

Farmers for Monarchs is dedicated to supporting the establishment and maintenance of pollinator habitats on agricultural lands. It’s Pollinator Habitat Toolkit is an invaluable resource for landowners and farmers, offering practical advice and information to enhance pollinator-friendly practices.

The toolkit, available on the Farmers for Monarchs website, answers critical questions about installing and maintaining pollinator habitats. It provides information on:

• Planting for Pollinators: High-level overview recommendations for planting for pollinators, courtesy of the Pollinator Habitat Establishment and Management Guide.
• Pesticide Stewardship: Minimizing impact on non-target species should be a goal for every operation. Farmers have to evaluate their situation and set a pest management strategy that best serves their operations.
• Mowing Best Practices: Among the most simple and effective measures farmers and landowners can take to conserve monarch butterfly populations is to follow a few simple best practices for mowing.
• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality.

Vision 2040: Our Commitment to Thriving Ecosystems

As we envision the future, we are committed to the continued health of pollinators, which are essential to thriving ecosystems, robust economies, and sustainable agriculture. The Honey Bee Health Coalition and Farmers for Monarchs are proud to be at the forefront of this vital mission. Together, we can ensure that by 2040, our ecosystems will be flourishing, our agricultural practices will be sustainable, and our economies will benefit from the essential work of pollinators.

Join us in celebrating Pollinator Week 2024 and be part of the movement towards a future where pollinators, and the environments they support, can thrive.