Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1390079
urgent action, yet the first step in the process is building trust that encourages, enables, and enhances the result. The California Pollinator Coalition is a big step forward in a journey of grower and conservation groups voluntarily demonstrating leadership." Value of protecting pollinators extends beyond the orchard With more than 400 crops grown in California, there is great variation in how each commodity interacts with pollinators. While some crops, such as grapes, require no pollination at all, others benefit from both managed and native pollinator services. But the benefits of providing pollinator habitat go beyond pollination. Many of the same practices that benefit honey bees and native pollinators – such as habitat strips, hedgerows and flowering cover crops – also ensure a robust population of beneficial insects such as predatory thrips and wasps. These insects prove vital in helping growers implement integrated pest management programs. In addition, cover crops are capable of reducing compaction and increasing the capacity of the soil to absorb and retain water, and some cover crops add nitrogen to the soil. Besides direct agronomic benefits, there is growing global pressure – among food companies, consumers and policymakers – for agriculture to demonstrate that it can coexist with the natural ecosystems in and around working lands, and even provide native pollinators with some of the same forage and habitat benefits that wildlands offer. "We have seen more announcements from food companies and retailers about protecting pollinators and biodiversity through supply chains. This coalition is just one way that the California almond industry and others can demonstrate that there are practical and farmer-friendly ways to do this," Lewis said. "We have an opportunity to lead the way." While just beginning its work, the coalition is continuing to recruit partners who share the common goal of supporting both the health of pollinators and agriculture. Current coalition membership includes major agricultural organizations such as the Almond Alliance of California, Agricultural Council of California, California Farm Bureau Federation, California Cattlemen's Association, California Citrus Mutual, Western Growers and the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Environmental and conservation groups joining the coalition include Pollinator Partnership, Environmental Defense Fund, Project Apis m., Monarch Joint Venture and others. ALMOND ORCHARD 2025 GOAL What can almond growers do? Almond growers have multiple opportunities and outlets to support pollinators that can provide benefits within their own orchards and across California agriculture – and many of these actions come with generous incentives: Apply to participate in the Bee+ Scholarship, supported by the Almond Board, which provides up to $2,000 in cover crop seed per grower through Project Apis m.'s Seeds for Bees program. Almonds.com/Pollination Become "Bee Friendly Certified" through Pollinator Partnership's "Bee Friendly Farming" Program. Pollinator.org/BFF Apply for CDFA's Healthy Soils incentive program, which covers a range of habitat options. CDFA.CA.gov/oefi/healthysoils Contact your local Resource Conservation District for guidance on how to obtain technical assistance for implementing pollinator habitat. CARCD.org Contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service to take advantage of Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) incentives to execute pollinator-friendly practices. NRCS.USDA.gov Learn more about protecting pollinator health year round. Read our Honey Bee Best Management Practices: Almonds.com/Pollination The Almond Board's new Cover Crop Best Management Practices outlines five steps to incorporating cover crops into orchard systems and details the benefits forage provides and challenges it can help address. Almonds.com/CoverCrops For more information from the Almond Board regarding the coalition's next steps and outcomes, please email industry@almondboard.com. "Almond growers and many other farmers depend on pollinators to produce a crop and pollinators depend on us to provide safe habitat. Working lands can and should be part of the solution." — Dr. Josette Lewis Dr. Josette Lewis ABC's Chief Scientific Officer NEW Almond Board of California 6