Honey Bee Best Management Practices

Honey Bee Best Management Practices.

Almond growers, beekeepers and other pollination stakeholders are responsible for creating an environment that supports honey bees in pollinating almond trees. Those responsible for pollination and pest management during bloom should establish a clear communication chain – while each person in the chain holds specific tasks, ensuring the right information is shared at the right time with the right person is a mutual responsibility.

As part of an ongoing commitment to support the almond industry in protecting honey bee health, the Almond Board of California offers pollination stakeholders a comprehensive guide: the Honey Bee Best Management Practices (BMPs). Developed with input from the almond community, beekeepers, researchers, UC Davis, California and U.S. regulators, and chemical registrants, the Honey Bee BMPs represent the Almond Board’s most extensive educational documents, to date, on how to ensure California almond orchards remain a safe and healthy place for all pollinators, including honey bees. This resource lays out simple, practical steps that almond growers, as well as beekeepers, Pest Control Advisers and pesticide applicators, can take to protect and promote pollinator health in and around almond orchards.

Supporting Honey Bee Health.

Almonds rely on honey bees for pollination, and the California almond community recognizes the essential role bees play in sustaining the global food supply. Since 1995, the Almond Board of California has invested more money in research on the health of honey bees than any other U.S. commodity, including research on:

• improving honey bee nutrition,

• effective management of bee pests and diseases,

• improving honey bee breeding stock,

• assessing impacts of pesticides used in almonds, and 

• impact of crop protection products on bee health

The results of this research are used to improve best management practices for all pollination stakeholders. The Almond Board, in collaboration with Project Apis m., USDA, the University of California, beekeeper organizations and other groups, continues to support research to develop best management practices. A key goal is to ensure almond orchards continue to be a good, safe place for honey bees — a place that promotes their health and even offers the opportunity for hives to increase in size.

Are you interested in becoming involved in ABC’s efforts regarding pollination and bee health? The Almond Board’s Pollination and Bee Health Workgroup aims to provide a safe, nutritional environment for pollinators in and around almond orchards, ensuring a sufficient and affordable supply of honey bees for almond pollination and reducing reliance on honey bees in the long term. Learn more and submit a Statement of Interest form to apply for an open position on this workgroup.