Bees are an essential part of our food ecosystem, contributing more than $17 billion to American crop production every year. Across the globe, an estimated 35% of the world’s food depends on bee pollination. Here in California, farmers and beekeepers are working together to develop practices that support healthy pollinator activity.
One of those new practices is the Seeds For Bees program, which offers up to $2,500 in cover crop seeds to commercial growers in California. These honeybee-friendly seeds help create landscapes that are well-suited to pollinators of all types, while also enhancing water filtration, weed suppression, environmental sustainability, and overall plant health. A multi-year program overseen by the non-profit organization Project Apis m., Seeds For Bees provides $1,500 in seed mixes for second-year participants, as well as discounts for those who remain with the program for three years or more.
Although multiple types of seeds are offered, the Seeds For Bees program is particularly helpful to those working within the almond industry, with various seed blends — including the Pollinator Brassica mix, which supports almond cultivation by blooming early, and the specialized Nitro Builder blend, which helps enhance nitrogen fixation — catering to the almond crop specifically. In a state where 80% of the world’s almonds are grown, pollination couldn’t be more important. That’s why a program like Seeds for Bees — whose website encourages almond growers to plant nutritious cover crops like mustards and clovers around their orchards, to “provide food for bees when they need it most” — is so important.
The program’s application period opened on April 1 and runs until August 31. Seed is limited, so growers are encouraged to apply ASAP to secure their post. If all goes according to plan, seeds will be delivered to eligible growers long before the optimal planting window of early to mid-October. For more information, click here.
To talk to an expert about cover crops, weed suppression, or pollinator-friendly practices that suit your growing operation, give Fruit Growers a call today!