 Salt Lake City, Utah-August 25th 2022.
Managed honey bees in North America continue to be under increasing pressure to meet pollination demands for our food supply. At the same time, annual colony losses are high- 39% in the US in 2021, and the natural forage which gives bees healthy nutrition and a honey crop for producers is decreasing. Colony losses are often attributed to pathogens, parasites, pesticides, hive management (queen mating, genetics, maintenance), climate, and available nutrition. United States honey production in 2021 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 126 million pounds, down 14% from 2020. Sustainable beekeeping is dependent on maximizing outputs (colony health, colony numbers, pollination contracts, honey production, profitability) while minimizing the inputs (time, money, personnel, treatments). A sustainable beekeeping industry contributes to a more sustainable agricultural landscape through a stable supply of bees for crop pollination. Therefore, PAm is requesting research proposals that focus on enhancing the health, survival, and productivity of honey bee colonies, which provide practical and tangible solutions to the beekeeping industry. The funding sponsor for these proposals is the National Honey Board (NHB), with Project Apis m. (PAm) administering the proposal, funding process, and accountability. PAm administers several other initiatives with funding from many sources, including corporate sponsors, private donations, and grants. Past proposals received and funded by PAm and NHB reflect a similar focus on supporting the industry. The National Honey Board is an industry-funded agriculture promotion group that works to educate consumers about the benefits and uses for honey and honey products through research, marketing, and promotional programs. Project Apis m. is the largest non- governmental, nonprofit honey bee research organization in the USA. Established by beekeepers and almond growers in 2006, PAm has infused over $10 million into bee research to provide beekeepers with healthier bees resulting in better pollination and increased crop yields. Read or download the full RFP, including funding priority areas, and application instructions here.
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 This summer, Project Apis m. accepted applications for the PAm-Costco Canada Scholarship Awards for Honey Bee Health. These scholarships are for PhD students tackling research that has real and practical impacts on the sustainability of honey bee health, honey production and crop production.
Investing in applied research remains a high priority across North America as annual losses continue to squeeze beekeeping operations in the states, and as beekeepers in Canada are currently recovering from exceptionally high losses from the 2021-22 winter. We are excited to announce the two newest awardees of this scholarship: Ana María Quiroga Arcila, and Tracey Smith, and warmly welcome them to the PAmily! If you’ve never tried to cover crop, it can seem a little daunting, but it shouldn’t be. In this article we will go over a few helpful tips and tricks to help growers begin the cover crop journey or even assist seasoned cover croppers in honing their skills. Cover cropping is essentially adding a new tool to your orchard toolbox. Like any tool, there are a few suggestions that can help with implementation and success. Be patient as you begin the journey, knowing that you will probably make some mistakes along the way. The cover crop tool can be an effective one for many underlying issues growers face in their orchards, but it’s not a silver bullet and it has to be managed well.  By: Dr. Kelly Kulhanek and Dr. Brandon Hopkins  Photo: Desert scenery of the Picacho State Recreation Area in Imperial County, California. (Adobe Stock Images) In the Imperial Valley of Southern California, the average high temperature in July is 107°F. This region of desert stretches south from the Salton Sea all the way down to Mexico. The highest temperature every recorded in the Valley was 121°F, only 13 degrees shy of the world record recorded in nearby Death Valley, CA. Despite these conditions, the Valley is home to several commercial beekeepers keeping thousands of colonies in the Valley during summer. One family, the Ashurst’s, has dominated beekeeping in the area for generations. The Valley’s winters are mild which provides good conditions for wintering colonies outdoors. The summers, however, are tough and require special considerations for bees. Some of these methods are relatively simple, like providing shade for every apiary. More recently, novel use of cold storage facilities have offered both bees and workers a respite from the heat. We spoke with Bryan Ashurst of Ashurst Bee Company about how he uses his cold storage facility in July and August to help his bees beat the heat. .... Read More
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