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22 SEEDWORLD.COM SEPTEMBER 2015 You know the topic is popular but until you see folks come in you dont realize how popular it is Langer says. In North Carolina where Bayers headquarters are located in Research Triangle Park the com- pany has worked to plant pollinator friendly roadsides. And in Kansas it worked to plant five 15-acre plots on a dairy farm that supplies milk to Dannon in Florida. In partnering with other organi- zations such a Project Apis m. a California nonprofit Bayer has worked to provide quality forage in almond groves and is now looking at apple groves. Additionally Syngentas Operation Pollinator program for more than 10 years has taken marginal agricultural land not being used for crops and incorporates flowering plants. The program works with dif- ferent conservation groups in the agricultural space and has done research with the University of California Davis Michigan State University and the University of Florida on group pollination. Through its Operation Pollinator program Syngenta also col- laborates with Applewood Seed Company in Arvada Colo. to provide golf courses with custom- blends of wildflower seed native to the region. Norm Poppe Applewood Seed Company general manager says his company has been actively in engaged on the national pollinator strategy at many levels. Whether it be participating with the Honey Bee Health Coalition or helping ASTA with pollinator plans Applewood Seed Company has its own diverse mix of seeds for all kinds of pollinators including native bees honeybees and monarch but- terflies. It has supplied seeds for a range of federal programs state highway programs and at the consumer level. The emphasis on pollinators and the decline in their health has been a strong topic for us in trying to develop products and advise on research to pro- duce and provide better quality products Poppe says. He is glad to see the emphasis on pollinator health and is ready to see things start happening. Poppe hopes the White House will push for increased funding to help plant more forage for all the various pollinators. Applewood Seed Company has been actively involved in researching mixtures since 2007. At that time pollinators were a secondary part of what the company did which was to focus on flower seeds with an ornamental purpose. However after 2007 when they saw the need for more functional landscapes Poppes team found that ornamental and functional fit together quite well. Weve been actively involved in identifying what pollinators are attracted to and what seeds we sell Poppe says. For the past eight years Applewood has been working on that research and developed subsets attractive to monarchs and tailored to honeybees. It has also developed mixtures tailored to general pollina- tors such as native bee flies and hummingbirds. A significant consideration is pollinators differ from their mouths to the size of head that allow them to feed on nectar pollinate. They need to fit certain flowers he explains. Some species arent attracted to or physically cant feed on them. So these seed mixes need to be tailored specifically to the insect you are trying to attract. Outreach Education and Communication Applewood Seed is also working on an education component that will share the research theyve done the past eight years with others in the industry. Weve gathered a lot of infor- mation but have found the topic of forage and nutrition for pollinators is not a subject a lot of people are well versed on he says. We are sharing what weve learned with a larger population whether that be a seed company putting informa- tion on its packet or a seed distrib- utor selling seed to golf courses. Additionally Applewood Seed Company is working with highway departments to provide a better understanding of what mixes would perform well on a roadside with mowing schemes. Bayer too participates in hundreds of events from talks at universities to field days conven- tions and trade shows. For its employees it offers a bee ambas- sador program. Bayer believes pollinator health is an area everyone can get involved with and continually improve asking for community feedback to help shape the future of its program. Savinelli adds that Syngenta works with state pesticide educa- tion programs that in turn influence programs run by local Extension educators who in turn work with farmers. Really the No. 1 thing to know is what insect youre targeting and what is causing the problem Savinelli says. When it comes to seed treat- ments seed companies and other groups are working to minimize dust that occurs at application looking into using different equip- ment and timing. Communication is key for suc- cess. If you have beekeepers in the area they may want to keep their bees somewhere else so they dont get exposed to pesticides Savinelli says. It is the exposure that puts bees in harms way. Syngenta continues to conduct studies submitting results to EPA. Its important to look at field studies Savinelli says. For exam- ple in Canada beekeepers bring Through initiatives such as Bayer CropSciences Feed a Bee campaign homeowners are encouraged to plant pollinator friendly gardens.