[Pollinator] A Taste of General Mills -- a blog about things General Mills is doing to help bees

[Matthew Shepherd]

From: A Taste of General Mills


http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2014/01/helping-the-bees-that-help-muir-gle
n/


 


Jan 10, 2014 • By Monte Olmsted
<http://www.blog.generalmills.com/author/monte-olmsted/> 


Helping the bees that help Muir Glen


Bees are important to us – and not just BuzzBee, the “spokes bee” for Honey
Nut Cheerios.

 

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.

 

So we’re working to restore bee populations across the U.S.

 

“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.”

 

A few of the projects we’re working on include:

- Planting native plants next to several California Muir Glen
<http://www.muirglen.com>  tomato fields to serve as new habitat for
bumblebees.

- Planting native plants next to our test farm in Le Sueur, Minn
<http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2011/10/the-real-buzz-about-honeybees/> .

- A grant to Conservation Marketplace of Minnesota by the General Mills
Foundation to increase bee habitat on 10 more Minnesota farms
<http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2012/10/growing-better-bee-habitats/> .

- A 700-acre almond orchard in California to produce “bee-friendly almonds,”
funded through a grant from Small Planet Foods and General Mills.

 

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.

 

Not only is a growth in native habitat good for bees, it’s good for farmers
too.

 

“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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 <http://www.blog.generalmills.com/author/monte-olmsted/> Monte Olmsted

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.
More posts by this author
<http://www.blog.generalmills.com/author/monte-olmsted/> 

- See more at:
http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2014/01/helping-the-bees-that-help-muir-gle
n/#sthash.iwHya3Z3.dpuf

 

 

________

 

Matthew Shepherd

Communications Director

 

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Protecting the Life that Sustains Us

 

628 NE Broadway, Ste 200, Portland, OR 97232-1324, USA

 <mailto:mdshepherd at xerces.org> mdshepherd at xerces.org 

Tel: (503) 232-6639 ext. 110

Toll free: 1-855-232 6639 ext. 110

Cell: (503) 807-1577

Fax: (503) 233-6794

 

Stay in touch:

 <http://www.xerces.org/> xerces.org
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Xerces-Society/193182577358618> Facebook
<http://www.xerces.org/enewsletters/> E-newsletter
<https://twitter.com/xerces_society> Twitter

 

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international
nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of
invertebrates and their habitat.

 

To join the Society, make a donation, or read about our work, please visit
<http://www.xerces.org/> www.xerces.org.

 

 

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