ST. LOUIS (March 20, 2019) – The Bayer Bee Care Program, through its national pollinator forage initiative, Feed a Bee, has proudly announced the successful achievement of its ambitious goal: funding the creation of diverse forage habitats for honey bees and other crucial pollinators in every single state across the United States. This significant milestone was reached with the 50th grant awarded to Gateway to the Arctic Camp in Talkeetna, Alaska.
Gateway to the Arctic Camp, a dedicated non-profit organization, focuses on service and agriculture, instilling the values of community service and hard work in young individuals. Through engaging activities centered around sustainability, farming, and environmental responsibility, the camp educates children about the importance of these principles. This summer, with support from the Bayer Bee Care Program’s Feed a Bee initiative, Gateway to the Arctic Camp will transform an entire field into a vibrant forage area specifically designed for bees and other pollinators. Campers of all abilities, including those with special needs, will have the unique opportunity to learn firsthand about the vital connection between honey bees and the pollination of essential crops.
The selection of Gateway to the Arctic Camp as the 50th grant recipient is particularly noteworthy, as it signifies the culmination of Feed a Bee’s nationwide mission. “We are incredibly proud to have contributed over $650,000 to pollinator-centric planting projects over the past three years,” stated Dr. Becky Langer, Project Manager for the Bayer North American Bee Care Program. “We have established connections with 163 organizations throughout the nation, all of whom are dedicated to enhancing pollinator forage diversity. These groups have not only developed comprehensive plans but have also taken concrete action, integrating crucial educational components to encourage local community involvement.”
Raymond Nadon, Executive Director of Gateway to the Arctic Camp, emphasized the positive impact of the grant, stating, “The Feed a Bee grant is a greatly appreciated and impactful resource that will significantly boost our forage initiatives at the farm. We are deeply committed to educating Alaskans of all ages about the critical role honey bees and other pollinators play in our ecosystem and their direct link to our food supply.”
Experts in environmental science and agriculture widely recognize the lack of adequate forage and habitat as a primary threat to honey bee health. Launched in 2015 by the Bayer North American Bee Care Program, Feed a Bee was created to directly address this challenge. The initiative provides essential funding and sponsors educational programs designed to engage communities in actively contributing to pollinator well-being. To date, the Bayer Bee Care Program’s Feed a Bee initiative has facilitated the distribution of over 3 billion pollinator-attractant wildflower seeds across the country, significantly expanding pollinator habitats.
Beyond Gateway to the Arctic Camp, numerous other organizations have benefited from Feed a Bee grants, each contributing uniquely to pollinator conservation. These include the Living Coast Discovery Center in San Diego, which is creating a native pollinator garden to educate visitors about local pollinator species, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which is revitalizing former agricultural and industrial lands by planting pollinator-attracting wildflowers. The diverse range of grant recipients also includes additional non-profits, agricultural producers and associations, beekeepers and beekeeping organizations, businesses committed to sustainability, educational institutions, gardening clubs, and government agencies, highlighting the broad appeal and impact of the Bayer Bee Care Program.
Feed a Bee proposals are rigorously evaluated and selected by an independent steering committee comprising leading educators, researchers, and scientists in the field of pollinator health and conservation. This committee includes: Billy Synk (Project Apis m.), Dan Price (Sweet Virginia Foundation), Diane Wilson (Applewood Seed), Doris Mold (American Agri-Women), Keith Norris (The Wildlife Society), Barry Neveras (Massey Services), Nicole Hindle (Ernst Seed), Vince Restucci (R. D. Offutt Company), Richard Johnstone (IVM Partners), Scott Longing (Texas Tech University), Scott Witte (Cantigny), and Zac Browning (American Beekeeping Federation; Project Apis m.; Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund). Their collective expertise ensures that Feed a Bee grants are awarded to projects with the greatest potential for positive impact on pollinator populations.
Feed a Bee, a core initiative of the Bayer Bee Care Program, represents Bayer’s ongoing 30-year commitment to supporting and advancing bee health. For more comprehensive information about the Bayer bee health initiatives, please visit http://beehealth.bayer.us. Stay connected and join the conversation on social media by following @BayerBeeCare on Twitter and liking the Facebook page at facebook.com/BayerBeeCareCenter. Explore visual resources on Flickr.
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