Combating Native & Managed Pollinator Population Declines

Pollinators contribute more than $24 billion to the U.S. economy annually, and insect pollinators support crop yields. The research, collaboration and action of global and domestic efforts, including FFAR’s Pollinator Health Fund, increased the honeybee population by 47% as of 2021, protecting the food supply. It also influenced federal policies that promoted the adoption of pollinator-friendly practices on 140,000 acres of farmland across 14 states, benefitting both farmers and pollinators.

Declining Honeybee Populations

In the 1990s, scientists noticed that honeybee populations around the world were in decline. The implications were staggering. Bees, essential pollinators for many of the crops that feed the world, were disappearing, and with them, the future of food production. Researchers sought to conduct studies and identify tools and strategies to protect the health of honeybees, native bees, bumblebees, bats and monarch butterflies—and thus food security—through habitat planning, pesticide safety and landowner-led restoration efforts.

Creating Healthier Landscapes for Pollinators

The Pollinator Health Fund’s pioneering research led to more than 75 peer-reviewed studies, over 15 public datasets and the development of several practical tools. These scientifically proven resources equip farmers, landowners and policymakers with the knowledge and strategies needed to create healthier landscapes for pollinators.

One of the most significant successes came from research on prairie strips, narrow bands of native vegetation planted along agricultural fields. The research found that prairie strips alleviate numerous stressors on pollinators, increasing their interactions with crops and helping them survive winter.

Another pivotal project involved digitizing over 9,500 historic bee specimens, leading to the creation of the Bee Atlas programs. This effort generated more than 140,000 new records of bee occurrences, resulting in the most extensive contemporary bee dataset in North America. The Bee Atlas programs are vital to understanding which species are struggling and how to protect them, securing populations and agricultural productivity.

By combining rigorous field science with stakeholder collaboration, these tools have driven measurable improvements in habitat planning, pesticide safety and landowner-led restoration efforts.

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