By Jade Horn and Josh Villazana
Pollinators play a crucial role in agricultural production systems by supporting crop pollination, biodiversity and overall ecosystem sustainability. Both managed pollinators, such as honey bees, and wild pollinators contribute to food production and environmental health. Many fruit, vegetable, seed and specialty crops benefit directly from the use of pollination services, in addition to the broader ecosystem functions within and outside agricultural landscapes from pollinators. Recent research continues to highlight the ecological importance of pollinators in sustaining agricultural productivity and ecosystem resilience, including research focused on the impact of pesticide use on wild bee distributions across the United States (Guzman, 2024).
In recent years, there have been growing concerns over the declining pollinator populations across the globe. These population declines have also increased awareness of how current agricultural practices may be impacting pollinator health. Environmental stressors, habitat loss, disease and pesticide exposure have all been identified as contributing factors to pollinator declines (USDA, 2024; Pollinator Partnership, 2024). Growers and applicators must consider how pesticide applications may unintentionally affect pollinators and other beneficial insects, because they remain an important part of crop protection.
Protecting pollinators does not mean the elimination of pesticide use. Rather, it means making informed management decisions that would reduce unnecessary exposure while still maintaining effective pest control. Pollinator risk can be minimized through careful application planning, label compliance, communication with nearby beekeepers, and using integrated pest management (IPM) practices while also providing effective crop protection programs. By understanding pollinator activity, pesticide risks, and application best practices, growers and applicators can help pollinator populations while supporting long-term agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Source : unl.edu