Natural Resource News

Adapted from NRCS Biology Guide Sheet

Pollinators are finally getting some credit for the important role they play in our survival. Approximately 75 percent of field crops grown worldwide for food, fiber, beverages, condiments, spices, and medicines rely on pollinators. It is estimated that one out of every four mouthfuls of food we eat and beverages we drink is dependent upon pollinators. Insect pollination is critical for the production of many important crops in the United States including the food we consume, and the forage our livestock requires.

It's not just the consumer benefits that pollinators are getting recognized for; their influence on economics is substantial. It is estimated that insect-pollinated crops directly contributed $29 billion to the United States farm economy in past years’ records. If this calculation were to include indirect products, such as milk and beef from cattle fed on alfalfa, the value of pollinators to U.S. agricultural production grows to $40 billion.

So how do we keep these important insects happy and working hard for us? One answer is right below our feet. It has become more recognized that there is an important link between pollinators and soil health practices. Managing for soil health is one of the most effective ways for farmers to increase crop productivity and profitability while improving the environment. Cover crops improve soil health which improves the living habitat for soil microbes and beneficial insects. Cover crops provide cover for birds and wildlife, and some can also provide food for pollinators (pollen and nectar).

Cover crops are primarily annual species that are typically planted in late summer or fall, and are allowed to grow until the spring planting of the next field crop. Cover crops are typically not harvested for grain, seed, or forage. Examples of cover crops include cereal rye, annual ryegrass, wheat, oats, clovers and other legumes, turnips, and radishes.

Cover crops can provide many benefits for soil health including preventing soil erosion, improve nutrient use efficiency, increasing soil health and subsequent crop yield, conserving soil moisture, protecting overall water quality, and suppressing weeds.

Growing flowering cover crops during fallow periods in your crop rotation is a multi-purpose strategy that can potentially benefit crop productivity as well as the local pollinator community. Planting a mixture of cover crop species can also enhance their soil health and pollinator benefits. But because not all cover crops provide the same benefits, it is important to choose the right species or mixture to meet both management goals and pollinator needs.

Cover crops that flower can provide nectar and pollen as food for pollinators. Cover crops can also provide structure that other beneficial insects, such as predators and parasitoids need for cover, reproduction, and over-wintering.

There are some simple steps that can be taken to maximize these benefits, and there are several helpful references available online that can help guide pollinator friendly decisions in your agricultural operation. The helpful www.pollinator.org website has a complete set of updates and information for pollinators and their habitats. If you are interested in knowing even broader steps that can be taken to help pollinators, plan to attend the Conservation Concepts workshop on February 28^th at the Ennis Elementary. Attendees have an opportunity to purchase dinner for $5 if they RSVP by Mon., Feb. 26. Call the Madison CD (406) 682-7289 or Madison Valley Ranchlands Group (406) 682-3259 for more information.