The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is calling on agriculture industry stakeholders to facilitate partnership and dialogue for improving pollinator health.
“Although corn does not rely on bees or other pollinators, we recognize their importance to agriculture,” said Don Glenn, chairman of NCGA’s Production and Stewardship Action Team, who spoke at the recent Pollinator Health Task Force’s public listening session. “It’s important for us to be at the table, as a voice for farmers, and engaging in a productive conservation about how to solve this challenge.”
The listening session was the latest in a series of activities from the task force, which was created by a presidential initiative in June and is jointly run by the USDA and EPA. Glenn said NCGA is eager to partner with Task Force members on grower education efforts and to continue dialogue.
“Farmers, beekeepers, conservationists, industry, government – we are all partners. NCGA is committed to finding and implementing solutions that will improve pollinator health and ensure a thriving population that are economically viable and practical for farmers.”
Earlier this year, NCGA joined the newly-formed Honey Bee Health Coalition, a diverse group comprised of more than 30 agricultural organizations and agribusinesses, researchers, beekeepers and conservation groups. The coalition’s mission is to help achieve a healthy population of honey bees and to support healthy populations of pollinators in the context of productive agricultural systems and thriving ecosystems.