POLLINATING THROUGH PHEROMONES 2020 - PRIMEHIVE
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PRIMEHIVE
P OL L IN ATING
TH ROUG H
P H E ROM ONE S
—
2020
CREATED BY:
DEAN ADAM EDGE
FOUNDER & CEO
PRIMEHIVE
INTRODUCTION
WHY WE STARTED PRIMEHIVE
Many fruit and vegetables depend on pollinators, especially the European honeybee (apis melifera.)
Any agricultural production that depends on pollination requires knowledge about the relationship
between the plant and the pollinator.
Examples of such can be seen in kiwi fruits with separate sexes in separate plants, cucumbers
where the females bloom two weeks earlier than the males, cranberries where the owers’
downwards position requires a pollen carrier and almonds where self pollination is very low.
Of course, there is a cost to the farmer to optimize pollination which is typically 1-2% of the gross
farm income; thus making pollination extremely good value for money. However, without an ef cient
method of utilizing the bees to pollinate in the areas required, the pollination rate is greatly reduced.
Through the use of pheromones in attracting bees to the target foliage, this ef ciency can be greatly
enhanced. Resulting in higher ower visitation and, ultimately, a signi cant increase in yield.
All at an economically viable proposition for the farmer.
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PRIMEHIVE
1 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED
POLLINATOR BEE
A. The Honey Bee And The “State of Living Together”
It is no small exaggeration to conclude that “the state of living
together” as humans and plants – the essence of symbiosis –
depends very much on pollinators.1 As noted by a commissioned
report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO):
Pollination is a keystone process in both human managed and
We require bees for a natural terrestrial ecosystems. It is critical for food production and
variety of reasons.
human livelihoods, and directly links wild ecosystems with
agricultural production systems. The vast majority of owering
Pollinators “affect 35
plant species only produce seeds if animal pollinators move
percent of the world's crop
pollen from the anthers to the stigmas of their owers. Without
production, increasing
this service, many interconnected species and processes
outputs of 87 of the leading
functioning within an ecosystem would collapse. 2
food crops worldwide, plus
The FAO estimates that pollinators “affect 35 percent of the world's
many plant-derived
crop production, increasing outputs of 87 of the leading food crops
medicines.”
worldwide, plus many plant-derived medicines.” 3
The important role of pollinators, especially the honey bees, in terms
Pollinators contribute to
of food security was recognized by the White House in a press
more than 24 billion dollars
release issued in 2014:
into the United States
Insect pollination is integral to food security in the United States.
economy,
Honey bees enable the production of at least 90 commercially
grown crops in North America.
Pollinators contribute to more than 24 billion dollars into the
United States economy, of which honey bees account for more
than 15 billion dollars though their vital role in keeping fruits, nuts,
and vegetables in our diets.
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PRIMEHIVE
1 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED
POLLINATOR BEE
Native wild pollinators, such as bumble bees and alfalfa leafcutter
bees, also contribute substantially to the domestic economy. In
2009, the crop bene ts from native insect pollination in the United
States were valued at more than 9 billion dollars. 4
Beyond the economic considerations, the pollinators contribute to
the ecosystem or “quality of life” in ways that are immeasurable. In
The importance of the the community of pollinators, the domesticated honey bee, also
honey bee.
referred to as the managed honey bee, stands out as the most
dominant and important pollinator largely due to the fact that there
In the community of are more honey bees than other types of bee and pollinating
pollinators, the insects. 5
domesticated honey bee,
also referred to as the
managed honey bee, stands
out as the most dominant
and important pollinator.
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PRIMEHIVE
1 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED
POLLINATOR BEE
B. Honey Bee Loss
It is a testament to the importance of honeybees to the national and
global ecosystems and agricultural economy that a decline in
honeybee population is framed in apocalyptic terms. 6
The decline in the honeybee population has triggered a “pollination
crisis,” that has caught the attention of policymakers, as evidenced
by the 2014 White House Press Release:
Our declining bee The number of managed honey bee colonies in the United States
populations are alarming.
has declined steadily over the past 60 years, from 6 million
colonies (beehives) in 1947 to 4 million in 1970, 3 million in 1990,
The number of managed and just 2.5 million today. Given the heavy dependence of certain
honey bee colonies in the crops on commercial pollination, reduced honey bee populations
United States has declined
pose a real threat to domestic agriculture.
steadily over the past 60
Since 2006, commercial beekeepers in the United States have seen
years, from 6 million
colonies (beehives) in 1947 honey bee colonies loss rates increase to an average of 30% each
to 4 million in 1970, 3 million winter, compared to historical loss rates of 10 to 15%. In 2013-14,
in 1990, and just 2.5 million the overwintering loss rate was 23.2%, down from the 30.5% the
today.
previous year but still greater than historical averages and the self-
reported acceptable winter mortality rate. 7
The government’s concern over the decline in domestic honey bee
stocks in the United States and the resulting threat to the
ecosystem is supported by leading scientists in the eld. 8
Preliminary results from an annual nationwide survey conducted by
the University of Maryland-led nonpro t Bee Informed Partnership
shows that beekeepers across the United States lost over 40
percent of their honey bee colonies from April 2018 to April 2019,
the highest winter losses ever recorded. 8
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PRIMEHIVE
1 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED
POLLINATOR BEE
The decline of American honey bees has also been described as a
mystery, with no single driver responsible. 9
As noted in the 2014 White House Press Release:
The recent increased loss of honey bee colonies is thought to be
caused by a combination of stressors, including loss of natural
forage and inadequate diets, mite infestations and diseases, loss
Farmers play a vital role of genetic diversity, and exposure to certain pesticides.
in reversing this issue.
Contributing to these high loss rates is a phenomenon called
colony collapse disorder (CCD), in which there is a rapid,
It is expected that unexpected, and catastrophic loss of bees in a hive.10
stakeholders, especially the Given the grave concern over the loss of honey bees, it is expected
government and food
that stakeholders, especially the government and food retailers who
retailers… would make an
stock their shelves full of food dependent on pollination – fruits,
effort to reverse course for
the honey bee. vegetables, nuts, dairy, and lots of other products – would make an
effort to reverse course for the honey bee.
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PRIMEHIVE
1 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED
POLLINATOR BEE
C. Conservation E orts To Save The Honey Bee
E orts by the government to mitigate the loss of honey bees and
other pollinators have focused on honey bee health and on
pollinator habitat. The White House in 2014, issued a Presidential
Memorandum that mandated the creation of a federal strategy to
promote the health of honey bees and other pollinators.49 The
strategy focused on the establishment of a Pollinator Health Task
Focus on bee health. Force, co-chaired by the USDA and EPA.50 Two years later, this
Task Force, under the signatures of the Secretary of USDA and
The White House in 2014,
issued a Presidential the Administrator of the EPA, released a Pollinator Partnership
Memorandum that Action Plan that seeks broad collaboration from government and
mandated the creation of a non-government entities to provide scienti c information to
federal strategy to promote
reverse pollinator losses.11 The overarching goals of the Task
the health of honey bees
Force included reducing honey bee colony losses and restoring
and other pollinators.
or enhancing pollinator habitat acreage.12
The Action Plan does not contemplate the ability of the manager
of the pollinating honey bee – the honey producer – to deliver
su cient honey bees to pollinate.13
Retailers also have shown a particularly strong interest in the
saving of the honey bee as a pollinator, blending self-interest with
social responsibility. In the most aggressive step by a retailer to
deal with honeybee decline, Walmart has led a patent for robotic
bees that could be used to pollinate crops just like real bees.14
The “autonomous robotic bees” would act like drones and carry
pollen from one plant to another, using sensors and cameras to
nd crops.15
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1 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED
POLLINATOR BEE
The objective appears to be to develop drone technology that
could boost food production if honeybee populations continue to
dwindle in the decades to come.16 Notwithstanding Wal-Marts
good intentions, some experts believe that the robot pollinator
bee would not be nearly as e ective as the honey bee and that it
makes more sense to protect the natural pollinators than to
Retailers, consumers & develop new technology.17
general public
Whole Foods has engaged in some creative presentations to
engagement.
demonstrate the consequences of the declining honey bee
Whole Foods has engaged population. Teaming up with the Xerces Society, for example,
in some creative Whole Foods, showcased in its Lynn eld store in Massachusetts
presentations to
how many of their dairy department products would cease to
demonstrate the
exist without bees. Items that would disappear included fruit-
consequences of the
declining honey bee avored yogurts, and chocolate milk, a 50 percent reduction in
population. milk products, and a reduction in cheese products, almond milk,
fruit juices.18 Continuing this theme, Whole Foods has also
developed visuals as part of a Share the Buzz campaign to show
how empty a grocery store looks like without bees.19 To further
raise awareness about the importance of supporting honey bee
populations, Whole Foods stores have hosted “Human Bee-In”
events with family friendly activities, sampling and food
demonstrations.20 Consumers have also been encouraged to
buy “bee-friendly” products that were noted in signage in stores
with “Give Bees a Chance.”21
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1 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED
POLLINATOR BEE
Other food retailers have focused on speci
ts
from native insect pollination
in the United States were
valued at more than 9 billion
dollars.
Beyond the economic
considerations, the
pollinators contribute to the
ecosystem or “quality of life”
in ways that are
immeasurable.
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2 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED HONEY
PRODUCER
A. Missing Link To The Honey Bee Declining Population
Problem
Given all of the attention and resources being devoted to saving the
honey bee as a pollinator, it is remarkable that saving the
endangered manager of the honey bee does not appear to be an
urgent priority for stakeholders. Without a vibrant beekeeper
population who manage the honeybees, all of the attempts to save
The symbiotic pollination will be to no avail. 23
relationship between the The key to understanding the signi cance of this oversight is to
beekeeper and pollinator. appreciate the symbiotic relationship between a beekeeper’s honey
production and pollination. Commercial honey producers typically
At the national level (in the
also provide pollination services. Their livelihood depends on both
US) the shares of beekeeper
income from honey and sources of income. As noted by the USDA Economic Research
pollination services are Service, “[A] beekeeper’s revenue comes from the sale of two co-
about equal, with products – pollination services and honey.”24
beekeepers with more than
Recent data from the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service
5 colonies earning total
revenues of $338 million (2017), supports this assessment: “at the national level the shares of
from pollination services and beekeeper income from honey and pollination services are about
$335 million from honey in equal, with beekeepers with more than 5 colonies earning total
2016. revenues of $338 million from pollination services and $335 million
from honey in 2016.”25
This symbiotic connection between the economic vitality of
domestic honey production and sustainable pollination was
recognized by the European Union (EU) Parliament in 2008 in
addressing the plight of the honey producer due to imported honey.
A resolution of the European Parliament, noted that while “honey
may be imported from various regions of the world, only bees, in
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2 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED HONEY
PRODUCER
suf cient numbers, can guarantee pollination.” Parliament then
called for action to “to tackle unfair competition from apiculture
products originating in third countries, which is partly the result of
lower production costs” and “to make it compulsory to indicate the
country of origin of bee honey on labels . . . .”26
The relationship between Referencing the EU Parliament resolution, two scholars – Marcelo A.
pollination loss and Aizen and Lawrence D. Harder – framed the connection between
honey producers leaving pollination loss and honey producers leaving the industry due to
the industry. cheap imported honey as follows:
[A]lthough the mysterious colony collapse disorder has recently
The half-century decline in
their (bee) numbers may had an impact on American honey bees, the half-century decline
partly re ect decisions by in their numbers may partly re ect decisions by honey producers
honey producers to leave to leave the industry in the face of competition from cheaper
the industry in the face of
imported honey, given that the USA became increasingly reliant
competition from cheaper
imported honey. on imported honey beginning in the late 1960s.”27
Dr. Aizen and Dr. Harder further assert that this economic dynamic
is the primary hinge point for pollination: “Indeed, the economics of
honey production, including the global division of human labor that
is a hallmark of economic globalization, likely in uence the global
dynamics of managed honey bees more than agricultural and
biological requirements for pollination.”28
They conclude that while “[t]his conclusion does not detract from
real biological problems in the honey-bee populations of some
countries; however, it emphasizes that solutions to those problems
must be motivated locally, rather than globally, and must
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2 PROBLEM: THE ENDANGERED HONEY
PRODUCER
acknowledge the dominant in uence of economics in the pollination
represented by every spoonful of honey.”29
An explanation for why policymakers in the United States have
missed the symbiotic link between protecting honey producers and
honeybee pollination may be that the endangered honey producer
Why governments have problem is economic rather than environmental or biological,
missed this symbiotic thereby not registering with government agencies focused strictly on
link. environmental, biological, and ecological policies. This oversight
underscores the dif culty in achieving a food systems thinking
The endangered honey
approach where the regulatory regime is siloed to the point of
producer problem is
economic rather than missing even what appears to be an otherwise obvious link.
environmental or biological,
thereby not registering with
government agencies
focused strictly on
environmental, biological,
and ecological policies.
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1 SOLUTION: HELPING POLLINATORS TO HELP
HUMANS
A. Helping beekeepers maintain and expand healthy bee
populations
There is a direct correlation between pollen collection (and therefore
pollination) and brood production within the hive. Primehive has
developed a suite of products that stimulates bees to consume
extraordinary quantities of pollen, thus stimulating brood production
and pollen collection.
Primehive suite of
products are speci cally The health of the bee population is essential to their foraging ability
designed to increase bee and effectiveness in pollen collection.
health which, in turn, aids
in e ective pollination.
Feeding the hives directly with Primehive Bee Booster greatly
The health of the bee bene ts the apiarist and for pollination such as;
population is essential to • Maximises pollen consumption
their foraging ability and • Maximises the bees’ body protein levels
effectiveness in pollen
• Increases worker and royal jelly production
collection.
• Growth in highly nutritionalised larvae
• Increases overall brood production levels
• Creates longer lasting, stronger bee populations
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1 SOLUTION: HELPING POLLINATORS
TO HELP HUMANS
B. Reducing competing oral resources
The second way that pollinators become more effective is by
directing them to the foliage that the farmer targets for pollination
rather than the pollinator simply being left to forage randomly.
Healthy bees are known to y as far as 12km (8 miles,) but usually
foraging is limited to food sources within 3kms. Individual foragers
Healthy bees are known will acquire a sample through scouting in the morning and tend to
to y as far as 12km. y to the same oral source as long as it remains pro table. Bees
will shift to another plant species if the nectar or pollen fails. 30.
The second way that It thus becomes critical that such forager bees are incentives to y
pollinators become more
and pollinate within a region speci ed by a farmer renting a hive that
effective is by directing them
to the foliage that the farmer simply allowing them to scout amongst any foliage within their own
targets for pollination rather region.
than the pollinator simply The speed at which bees pollinate depends upon the crop. Bees
being left to forage
visit up to about 40 owers per minute, depending on oral type,
randomly.
nectar availability and weather conditions. Floral visitation rate by
Primehive has developed a honeybees of some important crops:
speci c range of natural
products with the aim of Apricots (10 seconds)
•
directing bees to the foliage
• Apples (86 seconds)
and increasing visitation rate
through the use of • Cherries (82 seconds)
pheromones. • Raspberry (116 seconds)
• Black current (134 seconds) 31.
Primehive has developed a speci c range of natural products with
the aim of directing bees to the foliage and increasing visitation rate
through the use of pheromones.
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THE PRIMEHIVE SUITE OF PRODUCTS
The Primehive products are designed to increase bee health within the hive, to create
stronger bees which can aid in their foraging and to assist them in their foraging
effectiveness.
BEE BOOSTER PREMIUM QUEEN BEE PRODUCTION
& INTRODUCER
Bee Booster Prime Increases bee brood production &
increases crop yield and worker jelly production by up to
bee brood production by 100%. Also increases royal jelly by up
50 -100%. to 100%. Greatly increases drone
Results depend on fertility & assists in combining bee
environmental conditions. populations. Assists in queen bee
hive introductions, with results
achieving up to 100% success.
Page 15PRIMEHIVE
THE PRIMEHIVE SUITE OF PRODUCTS
DRONE FERTILITY POLLINATION BOOSTER
BOOSTER
Increases bee brood production Attracts bees & directs them to this
& worker jelly production by up to pheromone spray on owers.
100%. Also increases royal jelly & Attracts additional pollinators.
worker jelly by up to 100%. Attracts bees form other
Greatly increases drone fertility & pollinator sources.
assists in combining bee Placates bees from exterior
populations. Assists in queen disruptors & can prevent eld bees
bee hive introductions, with from pollinating other areas.
results achieving up to
100% success.
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THE PRIMEHIVE PRODUCT USAGE
AND METHODOLOGY
A combination of drone and larval pheromones This powerful effect give the Primehive products
along with royal jelly are the key ingredients within many uses.
the Primehive products. Boosting the level of
pheromones present in the hive stimulates the The Primehive products are poured into warm
bees to consume large amounts of pollen and water and mixed into pollen and honey.
honey, and therefore stimulates the When added directly into the empty comb,
hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of bees the solution quickly provides a calming effect
to produce large amounts or worker and royal jelly. on the bees.
mandibular glands
Page 17PRIMEHIVE
THE ROLE OF PHEROMONES IN THE
POLLINATION PROCESS
A pheromone is a chemical that an animal produces which changes the behavior of another animal of the
same species. Some describe pheromones as behavior-altering agents. Many people do not know that
pheromones trigger other behaviors in the animal of the same species, apart from sexual behavior. 32
PHEROMONES - WHAT ARE THEY & WHY DO WE USE THEM?
Pheromones are in widespread use throughout nature. A pheromone is a chemical substance released
into the environment by an animal, for the express purpose of changing the behaviour or physiology of
others of the same species. It is the foundation for how many animals live their lives, whether in
relation to reproduction, survival or establishment of territorial boundaries or other key
objective of the species. 33
PRIMER PHEROMONES RELEASER PHEROMONES
These prompt a complex These a have weaker, short-term
reaction in the receiver of the effect, generating a more simplistic
pheromone, creating changes response in the receiver only at the
that are both behavioural and behavioural level. Worker bees
developmental. They operate at generally use releaser pheromones.
the physiological level.
Primehive Pollination Booster attract bees - in theory these improve pollination by drawing bees into the
crop and reducing competition from more attractive blooms elsewhere. This can be particularly useful in
crops that are not particularly attractive to honey bees. Others manipulate behaviour inside the hive, and
encourage foraging activity in general. This is a releaser pheromone at work.PRIMEHIVE
A combination of drone and larval pheromones This powerful effect give the Primehive products
along with royal jelly are the key ingredients within many uses.
the Primehive products Boosting the level of The Primehive products are poured into warm
pheromones present in the hive stimulates the water and mixed into pollen and honey. When
bees to consume large amounts of pollen and added directly into the empty comb, the solution
honey, and therefore stimulates the quickly provides a calming effect on the bees.
hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of bees Solution quickly provides a calming effect on the
to produce large amounts or worker and royal jelly. bees.
7.57kgs 20.7acres 11.57%
AVERAGE QUANTITY AVERAGE ACREAGE AVERAGE YIELD GAIN
OF PRODUCT USED COVERED
In blueberry eld tests conducted in March 2019 in 7 farms in the lower mainland of British Columbia,
famers reported the above average success rate in the use of the Pollination Booster products. It must
be noted that only 2 farms applied the product twice (as recommended) and it was an unusually wet
and cold season where overall productivity was reduced.
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The pollination of cranberry fruit is a particularly challenging one for pollinators as the foliage is low to the
ground, often saturated and with owers that are inverted. The shape and density of the foliage also
makes it dif cult for bees to pollinate. Cranberry is not a strong producer of either pollen or nectar.
Although honey bees do not buzz pollinate, this drawback does not seem as great as with other owers
needing buzz pollination (i.e. tomato, blueberry) because the bees can still extract pollen by drumming or
stroking the anthers. Usually, however, the pollen collected by the honey bees is incidental to their nectar
foraging. Because they are not enthusiastic foragers on cranberry, the recommended stocking rate is
somewhat broad (2.5-7.5 hives per hectare). This range may re ect the variation associated with wild bee
populations near the bog.
8kgs 19acres 13.3%
AVERAGE QUANTITY AVERAGE ACREAGE AVERAGE YIELD GAIN
OF PRODUCT USED COVERED
In cranberry eld tests conducted in June-July 2019 in 7 farms in the lower mainland of British
Columbia, famers reported the above average success rate in the use of the Pollination Booster
products. All farms only applied the product once during this period (instead for 3-4 times
recommended) and all reported unusually wet and cold conditions for the time of year. All farmers had
reported a higher bee visitation rate.
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PRIMEHIVE POLLINATION BOOSTER
- DIRECTIONS OF USE & INGREDIENTS
Slowly mix contents with 650 litres with water. Inactive:
Disaccharides 35%
Pick 350-500gms of owers and heat within hot Glucose 20%
water for 5 minutes. Fructose 20%
Soy powder 17%
Add ower mix to Pollination Booster mix. Bee pollen (irradiated) 3% (up to 8%)
In sunny conditions, spray directly onto foliage Active:
when owers start to bloom. Queen larvae powder pheromones 2%
(contains 32 chromosomes.) Irradiated.
Drone larvae powder pheromones 1%
(contains 16 chromosomes.) Irradiated.
Worker larvae powder pheromones 1%
(contains 32 chromosomes.) Irradiated.
Nasonov pheromones 1%
Chemical free.
Pesticide free.
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POLLINATION IS BIG BUSINESS.
AN EXAMPLE OF MARKET POTENTIAL
- 2 KEY AREAS IN THE USA
5,382,319 hectares 3,844,513 hectares
requiring bee requiring bee
pollination annually pollination annually
in California.32 in Florida.33
The market potential in California is for 4,140,245.38kgs of product valued at $476,128,219
The market potential in Florida is for 2,957,317.69kgs of product valued at $340,091,535
Page 22PRIMEHIVE
MARKET POTENTIAL FOR POLLINATION
- GROWTH IN ALMOND PRODUCTION & HIVE COLONIES THE
USA
9e+05
Almond
Hectare
Usage.
6.75e+05 34
Bee
4.5e+05
Hive
Colonies.
35
2.25e+05
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Page 23PRIMEHIVE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1. Pollination “is the transfer of pollen between the male and female parts of owers to enable
fertilization and reproduction.” THE ASSESSMENT REPORT ON POLLINATORS, POLLINATION
AND FOOD PRODUCTION, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Services (IPBES) 26 (Simon G. Potts, et. al eds., 2017).
2. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO's Global Action on Pollination Services
for Sustainable Agriculture, available at http://www.fao.org/pollination/en/.
3. Id. See also IPBES, supra note 36 at 22 (of the 107 leading global crop types, production from 91
crops rely on varying degrees upon animal pollination).
4.The White House, O ce of the Secretary, Fact Sheet: The Economic Challenge Posed by
Declining Pollinator Populations, June 20, 2014, available at https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/
the-press- o ce/2014/06/20/fact-sheet-economic-challenge-posed-declining-pollinator-
populations.
5. See White House Pollinator Partnership Action Plan 5 (June 2016), available at https://
www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/ les/images/Blog/PPAP_2016.pdf. (“[h]oney bees are
the most important managed pollinators in the United States.”). See also Simon G. Potts et al.,
Global pollinator declines: trends, impacts and drivers, Trends in Ecology and Evolution 345 (June
2010). Notwithstanding the dominance of the honey bee as a pollinator, there is considerable
diversity of pollinators. Other pollinators include moths, ies, wasps, beetles and butter ies, as well
as vertebrate pollinators (bats, several species of monkey, rodents, lemur, tree squirrels, olingo and
kinkajou) and birds (hummingbirds, sunbirds, honeycreepers and some parrot species). United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO’s Global Action on Pollination Services for
Sustainable Agriculture, http://www.fao.org/pollination/background/en/.
6. Nick Holland, The Economic Value of Honeybees, BBC, April 23 2009, 23:41 UK, http://
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8015136.stm.
7. White House, Fact Sheet: The Economic Challenge Posed by Declining Pollinators Populations
(June 20, 2014), available at https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-o ce/2014/06/20/
fact-sheet-economic- challenge-posed-declining-pollinator-populations.
8.See Selina Bruckner, et. al, Honey Bee Colony Losses 2018-2019: Preliminary Results, Bee
Informed (June 19, 2019, 2:00 PM EST), https://beeinformed.org/results/2018-2019/.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
9.See Aizen, supra note 43. See also IPBES, supra note 36 at 36 (the lack of data makes it “very
di cult to link long-term pollinator declines with speci c direct drivers.”).
10.White House, Fact Sheet, supra note 44. See also Dave Goulson, et al., Bee declines driven by
combined stress from parasites, pesticides, and lack of owers, Science, Mar. 27, 2015, at 1435
(habitat loss, habitat degradation, parasites, and pesticides).
11.See Pollinator Health Task Force, The White House, Pollinator Partnership Action Plan (June
2016), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/ les/images/Blog/
PPAP_2016.pdf.
12.See id.
13.Field studies provide con icting evidence of e ects based on species studies and pesticide
usage. Recent research focusing on neonicotinoid insecticides shows evidence of lethal e ects on
wild bees and some evidence of impacts on their pollination, but the evidence of e ects on
managed honey bee colonies is con icting. IPBES, supra note 35 at 22.
14.See Bob Fredericks, Walmart may be building drone army of robot bees to pollinate crops, New
York Post, Mar. 14, 2018, available at https://nypost.com/2018/03/14/walmart-may-be-building-
drone-army-of- robot-bees-to-pollinate-crops/.
15.Id.
16.Id.
17.See Crystal Ponti, Rise of the Robot Bees: Tiny Drones Turned Into Arti cial Pollinators, NHPR
(2018), available at https://www.nhpr.org/post/rise-robot-bees-tiny-drones-turned-arti cial-
pollinators#stream/0 (citing Quinn McFrederick, an entomologist at University of California,
Riverside, who believes it makes more sense to protect natural pollinators than to create new
technology). See also Fredericks, supra note 54; Scott Ho man Black & Eric Lee-Mäder, Xerces
Society, Can Robobees Solve the Pollination Crisis? Wings, Spring 2018, available at https://
xerces.org/2018/09/17/robobees/.
18.Whole Foods Market Company News, Give bees a chance – the dairy aisle needs pollinators too,
Whole Foods Newsroom, Jun. 18, 2014, available at https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/news/
give-bees- a-chance-the-dairy-aisle-needs-pollinators-too.
19.See Nick Visser, This is What Your Grocery Store Looks Like Without Bees, Hu Post, Jun. 17,
2014, available at https://www.hu post.com/entry/store-without-bees_n_5500380.
20.Id.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
21.Id.
22.See Rebekah Marcarelli, Kroger Makes Commitment to Save the Bees, Winsight Grocery
Business, Jun. 26, 2018, available at https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com/retailers/kroger-
makes- commitment-save-bees. See also Laura Drotle , Pollinator Update: Regulators And
Retailers Are In uencing Pollinator Policy, Greenhouse Grower, Apr. 21, 2016, available at https://
www.greenhousegrower.com/production/pollinator-update-regulators-and-retailers-are- in uencing-
pollinator-policy/ (other large retailers and garden centers are providing pollinator-friendly plants).
23.The history of beekeeping for pollination is interesting and fairly recent. While beekeeping dates
back to the seventh century, the use of honey bees for pollination services in renting started in New
Jersey in 1909. MAGUELONNE TOUSSAINT-SAMAT, HISTORY OF FOOD 28 (1992). In the 1950s,
pollination by honey bees developed after USDA research documented the yield bene ts of honey
bees. Alan L. Olmstead & Donald B. Wooten, Bee Pollination and Productivity Growth: The Case of
Alfalfa, 69 American Journal of Agricultural Economics 56-63 (Feb., 1987).
24.Peyton M. Ferrier et al., Economic E ects and Responses to Changes in Honey Bee Health,
USDA Economic Research Service, Report No. 246 4 (March 2018).
25.Id.
26.European Parliament resolution on the situation in the beekeeping sector, Nov. 10, 2008,
available at http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?
type=MOTION&reference=B6-2008-0579&language=EN.
27.See Aizen and Harder, supra note 43, at 916.
28. Id.
29. Id.
30. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/agriculture-and-
seafood/animal-and-crops/animal-production/bee-assets/api_fs111.pdf
31.Id.
32. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0037235
33.Id.
34. http://www.fao.org/3/x5337e/x5337e02.htm
35. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/06/20/being-serious-about-saving-bees
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