Bee Better Certified Newsletter

Consumers still care about sustainability amid pandemic, report finds

The pandemic has brought uncertainty and instability to industries across the world as daily life changed dramatically in a very short period of time. Now that the dust has settled, research is picking up on which habits and purchasing choices consumers have stuck with, or even increased, during the pandemic.

According to one study, "nearly half of consumers say the pandemic has made them more concerned about the environment with 11% saying they have shifted their purchases based on environmental claims within the past year, according to a new survey from global management and consulting firm Kearney emailed to Food Dive. "

At Bee Better Certified, we're increasing our efforts on outreach, communication, and brand recognition as consumers continue to demand more accountability from the brands they purchase from.

Click here to read the full article from Food Dive.

Loss of Wild Bees and Impact on Pollinator-Dependent Crops

A study from two Bee Better Advisory Board Members, Rachael Winfree and Rufus Isaacs, and many other authors examines the potential implications of wild bee declines on pollinator dependent crops.

From the abstract:

"We found that five out of seven crops showed evidence of pollinator limitation. Wild bees and honeybees provided comparable amounts of pollination for most crops, even in agriculturally intensive regions. We estimated the nationwide annual production value of wild pollinators to the seven crops we studied at over $1.5 billion; the value of wild bee pollination of all pollinator-dependent crops would be much greater."

With a focus on pollinator habitat and on-farm practices that reduce harm to wild bee and honeybee populations alike, Bee Better Certified is actively working to reshape the agricultural landscape so that it is less harmful to these essential animals.

Click here to read the full study, and here for a summary article from the Guardian.

A Bee Better Harvest

The Zirkle Fruit Company and their packing and marketing division, Rainier Fruit, is one of the largest growers and packers of organic tree fruit in the U.S. With its continued commitment to sustainability and innovation, Bee Better Certified is a natural fit.

On their path to certification, Zirkle installed nearly 5 acres of native flowering shrubs and forbs, 8.5 acres of cover crops, and realigned their seasonal spray program to meet Bee Better's pesticide requirements on the blueberry ranch they selected for certification.

Click here to read more about their path to certification.

For more information on Bee Better Certified, visit beebettercertified.org
or contact us directly:

Cameron Newell

Bee Better Certified Program Coordinator

[email protected]

Eric Lee-Mader

Pollinator and Agricultural Biodiversity Program, Co-Director

[email protected]

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Photo by Nancy Lee Adamson