With input from the almond industry, beekeepers, UC Davis, state and federal regulators, PCAs, applicators and others, the Almond Board of California (ABC) recently published an update to its popular “Honey Bee Best Management Practices for California Almonds,” otherwise known as the “Honey Bee BMPs.”
Key changes to the Honey Bee BMPs, first released in 2014, include updated recommendations regarding timing around pesticide applications, planting cover crops and other management practices. In addition, “one of the most exciting changes is the introduction of the Bee Where program, an improved registration and reporting system that keeps beekeepers, growers, PCAs and applicators better connected,” according to Bob Curtis, retired director of Agricultural Affairs and current consultant for ABC. Curtis helped manage the Honey Bee BMP revision process.
Communication Chain for Honey Bee BMPs
The updated “Honey Bee Best Management Practices for California Almonds” guide is accompanied by two one-pager handouts that may be easily referenced in the orchard: the “Honey Bee BMP Quick Guide” and the “Honey Bee BMP Quick Guide for Applicators,” which is available in English and Spanish. The master guide and handouts may be accessed at Almonds.com/BeeBMPs.
Starting in mid-January, the Almond Board of California will host three “in the orchard” CASP pollination workshops to provide growers with timely information on maintaining honey bee health during bloom and throughout the year, opportunities for improving honey bee forage and CASP tools to help growers make positive on their operations. Growers who attend will also learn more about the Honey Bee BMPs and receive their own copy of the guide.
The workshops will be held on the following dates:
- January 15 at Gemperle Orchards in Ceres
- January 16 at Triangle T Ranch in Chowchilla
- January 24 at Nicholas Nut in Chico
For more information, check out this flyer and share workshop details with friends and colleagues.
The ABC Board of Directors recently released the Almond Orchard 2025 Goals, which encapsulate the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement and detail four key ways in which we’re working to grow almonds in better, safer and healthier ways. One of the four goals is focused on increasing adoption of environmentally friendly pest management tools by 2025, an aim that includes efforts in promoting honey bee health.
“Ensuring that almonds are a good and safe place for bees and promoting good stewardship practices around pesticide application during bloom move us toward achieving this industry-wide goal,” explained Curtis.
For more on these goals, visit Almonds.com/Goals.
