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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><h4 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";font-weight:normal'>From: A Taste of General Mills<o:p></o:p></span></h4><h4 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-weight:normal'><a href="http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2014/01/helping-the-bees-that-help-muir-glen/">http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2014/01/helping-the-bees-that-help-muir-glen/</a><o:p></o:p></span></h4><h4 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-weight:normal'><o:p> </o:p></span></h4><p class=MsoNormal>Jan 10, 2014 • By <a href="http://www.blog.generalmills.com/author/monte-olmsted/" title="Posts by Monte Olmsted">Monte Olmsted</a><o:p></o:p></p><h1 style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>Helping the bees that help Muir Glen<o:p></o:p></h1><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>Bees are important to us – and not just BuzzBee, the “spokes bee” for Honey Nut Cheerios.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>Bees pollinate Green Giant broccoli and cauliflower, fruit for Häagen-Dazs ice cream and Yoplait yogurt, and they provide honey for Honey Nut Cheerios and Nature Valley granola bars.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>So we’re working to restore bee populations across the U.S.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>“General Mills has been aware of the decline in native bees and honey bees due to diseases and viruses, as well as the decline in their habitat,” says Tom Rabaey, principal scientist in crop biosciences at General Mills. “That’s why we’ve been working on bee projects for three years.”<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'>A few of the projects we’re working on include:<o:p></o:p></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'>- Planting native plants next to several California <a href="http://www.muirglen.com" target="_blank">Muir Glen</a> tomato fields to serve as new habitat for bumblebees.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'>- Planting native plants next to our <a href="http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2011/10/the-real-buzz-about-honeybees/" target="_blank">test farm in Le Sueur, Minn</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in'>- A grant to Conservation Marketplace of Minnesota by the General Mills Foundation to increase bee habitat on <a href="http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2012/10/growing-better-bee-habitats/" target="_blank">10 more Minnesota farms</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>- A 700-acre almond orchard in California to produce “bee-friendly almonds,” funded through a grant from Small Planet Foods and General Mills.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>In California, General Mills has teamed with researches from the University of California-Davis and the Xerces Society, an organization devoted to protecting wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates (such as bees) and their habitats.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>Not only is a growth in native habitat good for bees, it’s good for farmers too.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>“We know that bumblebees are important for tomato pollination, so having pollinator habitat adjacent to the (Muir Glen) field in California can lead to a five percent increase in tomato yield,” Tom says.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>Studies have also shown that tomatoes pollinated by native bees produce larger and more fruit. With time, research and results on its side, Muir Glen hopes to convince other farmers to participate by having native wildflowers planted next to their fields too.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>As the project progresses, General Mills will share our findings with all farmers, included those who grow for competitors so everyone will benefit – but especially the bees.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.blog.generalmills.com/author/monte-olmsted/"><span style='color:blue;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=160 height=160 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CF0E1B.15A1E0F0" alt="Monte Olmsted"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Monte Olmsted is a writer in Global Communications at General Mills, based in Minneapolis, Minn. He writes stories for "A Taste of General Mills" and internal company channels. He began his work with General Mills in 2012. <a href="http://www.blog.generalmills.com/author/monte-olmsted/">More posts by this author </a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>- See more at: http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2014/01/helping-the-bees-that-help-muir-glen/#sthash.iwHya3Z3.dpuf<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:6.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Matthew Shepherd<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Communications Director<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:6.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Protecting the Life that Sustains Us<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:5.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>628 NE Broadway, Ste 200, Portland, OR 97232-1324, USA<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#0070C0'><a href="mailto:mdshepherd@xerces.org"><span style='color:#0070C0'>mdshepherd@xerces.org</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tel: (503) 232-6639 ext. 110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Toll free: 1-855-232 6639 ext. 110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cell: (503) 807-1577<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fax: (503) 233-6794<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:6.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Stay in touch:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:red'><a href="http://www.xerces.org/"><span style='color:red;text-decoration:none'>xerces.org</span></a></span></b> <b><span style='color:#17365D'><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Xerces-Society/193182577358618"><span style='color:#17365D;text-decoration:none'>Facebook</span></a></span></b> <b><span style='color:#984806'><a href="http://www.xerces.org/enewsletters/"><span style='color:#984806;text-decoration:none'>E-newsletter</span></a></span></b> <b><span style='color:#0070C0'><a href="https://twitter.com/xerces_society"><span style='text-decoration:none'>Twitter</span></a></span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:6.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:6.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>To join the Society, make a donation, or read about our work, please visit <span style='color:#0070C0'><a href="http://www.xerces.org/"><span style='color:#0070C0'>www.xerces.org</span></a></span>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>