INTRODUCING BEE FRIENDLY FARMING… Pollination Canada, a project of Seeds of Diversity, is proud to announce its participation in Bee Friendly Farming!
The widely-reported disappearance of honeybees (called Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD) brought public attention to the issues facing both the honeybee industry and native pollinators. One common factor found in hives lost due to CCD is nutritional stress, due to a lack of access to a wide variety of plants that provide food (called forage). A common factor in the decline of native bee populations is lack of land available for them to make nests (called habitat).
Every third food-bite or sip that meets your lips depends on pollination. Bees, as the insect group which does a majority of the pollination work, are thus responsible for providing 30% of the crops produced in the world.
Growers with appropriate practices can be self-certified as Bee Friendly Farmers - an inclusive term intended to recognize Bee Friendly ANYONE who supports bees on all scales of landscape: farms, ranches, businesses, school groups, gardeners, beekeepers, local governments, non-profit organizations, on both private and public grounds. We’ve had our first Canadian farms certify this year, and are looking forward to seeing more growers come on board with this program.
While BFF was launched in California, it is working towards making its registered logo recognizable throughout North America. We’re excited to play a key role in the Canadian participation in the program which commenced in December 2011. There are ways to get involved! Certify your community garden. Lobby to make your child’s school grounds or local parks bee friendly. Learn about pollinator habitat needs and make your own backyard a pollinator haven. Encourage your farmers to learn about pollinator-friendly growing practices. Watch for the BFF logo on products at your local farmers market. The sustainability of our food supply and natural ecosystems are dependent on pollinator health!
For more info, visit Pollination Canada’s website.