Representatives from Bayer CropScience were excited to announce at Farm Progress Show that they have exceeded the wildflower planting goals laid out at the launch of their Fee A Bee initiative earlier this year.
“After just 11 weeks we have exceeded our goals, and have planted 55 million flowers through the initiative,” said Dr. Becky Langer, manager of the North American Bee Care Program, in an interview following a press conference at the 2015 Farm Progress Show.
The Feed a Bee initiative focuses on reestablishing lost bee habitat and forage sources that have contributed to the recent collapse of bee colonies throughout the United States by providing pollinator-friendly wildflower seed packets for anyone to plant on their land, as well as magnifying the education component of improving bee health nationwide.
Participation in the initiative highlighted the nationwide, universal interest and concern over the health of American bees: “The initiative stakeholders are diverse, we have everything from growers to dairy farmers to lawn care companies, and even bee keepers themselves are making seed bulbs out of their wildflowers for their clubs to plant. They come from so many different sides of the businesses and geographic locations,” explained Langer, “That’s what the great part is, because promoting bee health is going to require all stakeholders to work together.”
Initiatives like Feed a Bee allow everyone to be a part of the solution by promoting a more wise usage of the land we share with the bees, something Langer thinks contributes to its success: “From planting fence rows [of wildflowers] along growing crop fields to planting flowers in your own backyard to help feed these bees that are out working, everyone can make a difference together.”
Stop by the Bayer CropScience booth at Farm Progress Show to learn more about the Bayer Bee Care program, and how Bayer is committed to Bee Health and vitality.
Listen to my interview with Becky here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/fps-bayer-langer.mp3″ text=”Interview with Becky Langer, Bayer CropScience”]
2015 Farm Progress Show Photo Album
