As part of its Australian Pollinator Week participation, CropLife Australia and its members decided their best course of action would be to showcase the extent of pollinators who work hard for agriculture and the environment.
Plus a focus on the decade of industry-led pollinator protection initiatives which have contributed to the health of Australia’s largest unpaid workforce.
CropLife chief executive Matthew Cossey said most people think of the honeybee as the most important pollinator for our food, but the true story is so much bigger than that.
“There are thousands of animal pollinators in Australia and the honeybee is just one of them,” Mr Cossey explains.
Native bees, beetles, flies, butterflies and moths which all visit flowers to collect nectar all contribute to the propagation of plant species.
“Of course, the introduced European honeybee is also crucial for pollinating a range of specific crops.
“Even with the recent incursion of Varroa mite, Australia has one of the healthiest populations of managed European honeybees in the world and is well positioned as the industry faces its biggest threat.”
In agriculture, different crop types have different levels of dependence on pollination.
For instance, almonds, avocados, cucumbers, mangoes and apples rely almost entirely on animal pollination.
Many vegetable crops only require pollination for seed production and breeding purposes while many broadacre crops like rice and wheat are wind-pollinating.
“If there’s one thing we’ve learned from this incursion, it is that having a diversity of insect pollinators is better for pollinator security and crop diversity,” Matthew added.
“So, it’s in our best interest to make sure all pollinators have the environment they need to thrive.”
He says CropLife Australia member companies invest significantly in stewardship activities, which ensure their products are sustainably used in a way which can safely coexist with pollinators, both of which are important for food production.
“CropLife’s Pollinator Protection Initiative is a comprehensive program designed to enhance pollinator health and protect their habitats.
“This initiative includes rigorous research and development, collaboration with experts, and the promotion of best practices among Australian farmers through:
• BeeConnected is an international award-winning smart-phone app that helps farmers and beekeepers communicate to ensure the safety of managed beehives during normal farming practices.
• Seed Treatment Stewardship Strategy, a best management practice guide on the handling and planting of treated seed to minimise unintended movement of crop protection products.
“Australian Pollinator Week was a great way to raise awareness about the value of pollinators in food production and also check in with agricultural and home gardening practices to ensure we’re not inadvertently harming bees and our other important native pollinators.
“CropLife and our members are deeply committed to providing the latest stewardship information and techniques to farmers, environmental land managers and beekeepers alike to protect Australia’s pollinators,” he says.
