Le Lézard
Subjects: NPT, ANW

Feed a Bee announces coast-to-coast recipients for $500,000 pollinator forage initiative


RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., June 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In the spirit of true National Pollinator Week celebration, Bayer today announced the first round of organizations that will receive funding to establish forage for pollinators across the nation. Nearly 100 projects were submitted in response to the request for proposals for the first round of funding, which were reviewed and evaluated by the inaugural Feed a Bee steering committee. Ultimately, 58 projects in more than 30 states and Washington, D.C., have been chosen as the first to receive awards ranging from $1,000 - $5,000.

The Washington Youth Garden was awarded $5,000 by the Feed a Bee steering committee to restore its Butterfly and Pollinator Garden.

Earlier this year, Bayer announced its latest Feed a Bee initiative to facilitate forage plantings in every state by the end of 2018 by distributing $500,000 to organizations across the country. These funds were made available to organizations working to combat the issue of limited pollinator forage found throughout the country and to provide a tangible solution to this challenge.

"It's thrilling to see so much interest around the country in such a short amount of time," said Dr. Becky Langer, project manager, Bayer North American Bee Care Program. "We're more than halfway to accomplishing our goal after the first round of proposals with more than a year and a half left in the initiative. It's rewarding to see organizations across the country come together with one common goal: providing quality nutrients for pollinators. We look forward to seeing all the creative project ideas yet to come!"

The 58 forage projects, which include establishment of new pollinator forage and habitat restoration, will take place throughout the remainder of the year, following the official kick off  Saturday, June 17, at the Washington Youth Garden in Washington, D.C. Bayer joined the Garden, a program of the Friends of the National Arboretum; the U.S. Forest Service; the Americas for Conservation and the Arts; the Woodsy Owl Conservation Corps; and Sweet Virginia Foundation, an educational partner of Feed a Bee that provides free honey bee resources to teachers and students around the world, for the first Family Garden Day of 2017. Families of the community gathered to learn about the importance of honey bees and other pollinators and planted the first flowers that will begin the restoration process of the Garden's Butterfly and Pollinator Garden. After the planting, families explored pollinator health through hands-on learning stations, including investigating the Garden's two hives, digging in the compost worm bin and running a relay race in beekeeping suits to become true "beeks."

"The funding provided by Feed a Bee is instrumental in restoring our Butterfly and Pollinator Garden, which serves as a valuable tool to ensure young people who visit our grounds walk away understanding the value of protecting our country's pollinators," said Nadia Mercer, Washington Youth Garden program director. "We have been sharing knowledge of butterflies and other pollinators for over forty years and look forward to many more."

This event served not only as a celebration of National Pollinator Week, but also as recognition of the effort being done across the county in support of the 2015 Pollinator Health Strategic Plan, put in place by the White House Pollinator Health Task Force.

"We are proud to be doing our part in promoting the task force's goal of restoring or enchaining 7 million acres of forage by 2020," Langer said. "I'm glad we can aid in implementing the White House strategy coast to coast, beginning in the city that made pollinator heath a national priority."

Round one of grant recipients include:

Feed a Bee is one of several programs sponsored by Bayer's Bee Care Program, continuing its nearly 30 years of supporting bee health. For more information on Bayer's bee health initiatives, please visit: http://beehealth.bayer.us. You can also follow and share with us on Twitter @BayerBeeCare, on Facebook at facebook.com/BayerBeeCareCenter and view photos on Flickr. 

Bayer is committed to bringing new technology and solutions for agriculture and non-agricultural uses. For questions concerning the availability and use of products, contact a local Bayer representative, or visit Crop Science, a division of Bayer, online at www.cropscience.bayer.us.

Visit the Bayer Connect - Social Hub for social media, recent news, blog posts, videos and more from Crop Science, a division of Bayer.

Bayer: Science For A Better Life
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2016, the Group employed around 115,200 people and had sales of EUR 46.8 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.7 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Find more information at www.cropscience.bayer.us.  

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Nearly 60 projects in more than 30 states and Washington, D.C., have been chosen as the first to receive awards ranging from $1,000 - $5,000.

Feed a Bee steering committee member Billy Synk of Project Apis m. presents a check to Placer Land Trust and the School Park Community Garden in Auburn, California.

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. (PRNewsfoto/Bayer Corporation)

SOURCE Bayer



News published on and distributed by: