[Pollinator] Sainsbury's and Syngenta help the plight of the bumblebee

[Davis, Robin]

http://www.checkbiotech.org/green_News_Genetics.aspx?infoId=15049

 

Sainsbury's declares war and fights for better farming practices to
improved farmland bio-diversity.

As Albert Einstein said: "If the bees disappeared off the face of the
globe, mankind would have four years to live"

Over the last 30 years the humble bumblebee has been in steady decline
and recent research shows their populations are down by a worrying 70%.
Already three of the 25 species traditionally found in the UK have
become extinct and conservationists fear several more are in imminent
danger if action is not taken quickly. 

In order to prevent any more species form becoming extinct, Sainsbury's
and Syngenta are working with their growers to implement a nationwide
project known as Operation Bumblebee.

Operation Bumblebee could increase the bumblebee population by a
staggering 600%. The project will involve the specialist training of
over 300 of Sainsbury's farmers and growers, who farm in excess of
80,000 hectares of farmland across the UK. The project's aim is to grow
vital Pollen and Nectar rich habitats on their farms, which in turn will
hopefully result in the number of bumblebees increasing by many millions
over the next three summers. As well as increasing the population of
bumblebees, other wildlife, including butterflies, bugs, farmland birds
and small mammals will also benefit. Bumblebees are an excellent
indicator of greater farmland bio diversity (wildlife) but also help
many beneficial insects such as labybirds that have a positive effect in
reducing pest numbers in field crops.

Currently there are over 500 growers involved in the project with some
600 hectares of seed mix being sown across the UK (one hectare is
equivalent to an area the size as the new Wembley Stadium football
pitch).

How it works

Sainsbury's and Syngenta are working closely with farmers and growers
encouraging them to establish new habitats for bumblebees on their farms
by sowing and managing 'field boundarys' and other uncropped areas
within their fields. Using a unique seed mix, these new habitats will
produce a selection of plants and wild flowers which deliver a
consistent supply of pollen and nectar vital for bumblebees to thrive. 

The exclusive project will train farmers and growers, in the new skills
required to manage the new Bumblebee habitat. This follows a successful
pilot project, which included Marshalls Bros, one of Sainsbury's largest
green vegetable suppliers, it is based on five years of scientific
research by Syngenta to create the ideal environment for bumblebees to
prosper.

George Reid, a potato and brassica grower for Sainsbury's said: "We are
really excited about this project. We have already seen an increase in
bumblebees as our seed mix starts to flower. We will continue to sow the
seed mix until the first week in September - and we look forward to
seeing many more bumblebees at work in our fields by this time next
year. "

Debbie Winstanley, Sainsbury's bumblebee ambassador said: "Sainsbury's
customers care about the environment in which their food is grown and at
a very small cost this project demonstrates how sustainable, profitable
food production and a vibrant countryside can sit side by side. "

Geoff Coates of Syngenta who manages Operation Bumblebee said," We are
delighted to be working with Sainsbury's on this exciting project which
will hopefully halt the decline of our bumblebee populations." 

Operation Bumblebee is one of many projects Sainsbury's is looking at to
support rural and farming communities across the UK and creates valuable
environmental habitats to encourage biodiversity.

(c) FarmingUK - The Breezi Publishing Company Ltd 





Source: FarmingUK <http://www.farminguk.com>  

 

 

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