International investment company the Liechtenstein Group, known for its commitment to sustainable agriculture and innovative technologies, is leading a funding round in Iowa-based company PowerPollen, which has developed a unique technology that allows pollen to be collected, preserved, and applied on-demand. PowerPollen’s patented technology and hardware collects pollen from male plants, and then preserves the viability of the pollen up …
Dalan Animal Health Recognized for Honeybee Vaccine
Dalan Animal Health, Inc. (“Dalan”), a biotech company specializing in insect health, has been included in the 2023 Fast Company Next Big Thing in Tech list in recognition of developing the world’s first vaccine to protect honeybees against American Foulbrood (AFB), a devastating disease that weakens and kills honeybee colonies globally. In addition to Fast Company, Dalan has also been …
Happy Pollinator Week!
The birds and the bees, the bats and the butterflies, and the Bayer Blue Ribbon beekeepers are all in the spotlight this week for the 12th annual National Pollinator Week celebration. Pollinator Week was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. Twelve years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” …
BASF Living Acres Program Increases Monarch Habitat
BASF is helping to increase the monarch population with its Living Acres program. “Living Acres is our biodiversity program that focuses in on monarch habitat,” explained Chip Shilling, sustainability strategy manager. “For that you need milkweed, so we’re really encouraging farmers and farm families to think about places that are outside of their field boundaries where they can plant milkweed …
Biofuels and Butterflies Blend in Iowa
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has launched the Monarch Fueling Station Project to help ethanol and biodiesel producers across the state establish monarch butterfly habitats on green spaces surrounding their plants. “Because of their migratory patterns, monarchs need small patches of habitat throughout the state,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel plants are scattered across …
Young Beekeeper Recognized by Bayer
Bayer recently announced the recipients of the fifth annual Bayer Bee Care Community Leadership Award for dedication to pollinator protection and educating their communities about bee health. This year’s winners are young beekeeper Jake Reisdorf, and Kirk and Heidi Tubbs of Tubbs Berry Farm in partnership with the Twin Falls County Pest Abatement District. Bayer expanded the scope of its …
Bayer Celebrates National Pollinator Week
To celebrate National Pollinator Week, Bayer Bee Care has granted funding to 58 projects that will focus on forage planting. Projects in more than 30 states and Washington D.C. and will recieve between $1,000 and $5,000 in hopes of meeting Feed a Bee‘s latest initiative of forage planting in every state by the end of 2018. “It’s thrilling to see …
Bee Losses are Down
The latest report from the Bee Informed Partnership (BIP), in collaboration with the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is good news for beekeepers in their efforts to improve the health of their colonies in the United States. An estimated 21.1% of colonies managed were lost over the 2016-2017 winter, representing an improvement of …
Grassland Oregon Offers Pastures for Pollinators
In response to the need to protect pollinators and support sustainable livestock farming, Grassland Oregon has introduced a new seed mixture called Pastures for Pollinators that will benefit bees, livestock and sustainable agriculture. Risa DeMasi, co-founder of Grassland Oregon and immediate past chairman of the American Seed Trade Association says proceeds from the sales of Pastures for Pollinators will be …
Grants for Pollinators Available from Feed A Bee
Dr. Becky Langer attended last week’s Bayer #Advocay Forum and we caught up with her there to get more details on Bayer’s latest Feed a Bee announcement. To promote their new goal of providing pollinator forge in all 50 states, the Bayer Bee Care program is offering a total of $500,000 for grant projects over the next two years. Proposals …