With a decline in the global populations of native bees, agricultural output that depends on pollinators is turning increasingly to commercial pollination services. In the United States, the demand for beekeeping services is on the rise, with numerous truckloads of bee colonies traversing the nation to meet the needs of farmers. A recent research study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines pollination contracts between beekeepers and almond farmers in California, investigating terms that could benefit both sides.
“In California, there are approximately 1.3 million acres of almond trees, which necessitate about two honeybee hives per acre for effective pollination. This means roughly 2.6 million hives are required annually. These hives are transported from various parts of the U.S. and arrive by February 15, coinciding with the almond bloom, staying for about a month,” said Brittney Goodrich, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics within the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Illinois. Goodrich is the lead author of the study.
About 90% of the nation’s commercial bee colonies gather in California during the almond bloom. The bees are then relocated elsewhere for the remainder of the year, often to North Dakota or South Dakota for summer honey production, and to Texas or Florida during the winter.
“Commercial beekeepers can be likened to livestock producers who practice rotational grazing, moving their colonies to areas where flowers are in bloom, ensuring that bees have access to food. I’m particularly interested in how beekeepers manage risks within their operations and how this affects pollination agreements,” Goodrich explained.
Native bee populations face threats from pesticide usage, diseases, and pests, as well as habitat issues caused by monoculture farming and reduced natural forage, leading farmers to rely more on managed pollination services.
“We aimed to investigate if contracts could include features that make them more attractive to beekeepers and whether they would consider accepting a lower price in exchange for these options. Specifically, we analyzed clauses for pesticide protection, bee-friendly cover crops, and prepayments,” Goodrich detailed.
The research team conducted an online survey targeting commercial beekeepers involved in almond pollination. Participants were presented with a standard contract featuring a typical fee of $200 per hive, along with two alternative contract scenarios that included different clauses and pricing. Each beekeeper made eight selections from three diverse contract options, allowing researchers to assess the value of each clause.
The findings revealed that the pesticide protection clause was the most sought-after feature, followed closely by specific cover crop options. These results were notably significant among beekeepers who were more risk-sensitive and those with past experiences regarding pesticide exposure.
“Though fungicides are generally not harmful to honey bees, they can interact negatively when mixed. We proposed a clause in the contract stating that growers would avoid mixing fungicides and apply them solely at night, reducing the risk of exposing bees while foraging,” stated Goodrich.
On average, beekeepers indicated they would accept an $8 reduction per colony for pesticide protection, which constitutes about 4% of the total standard pollination fee.
“While this may seem minor, it adds up quickly given that the average beekeeping operation we surveyed manages around 5,700 colonies,” Goodrich observed.
Additionally, beekeepers valued flowering cover crops, which offer extra nutrition, enhancing the bees’ resilience to pesticides and benefiting both native bee species and honey bee populations. The survey presented three cover crop alternatives: clovers, a brassica mix, and a soil builder mixture comprising legumes, brassicas, and grasses.
The brassica mix was valued at approximately $6 per colony, whereas the soil builder mix had a slightly lower value. While clovers are generally advantageous for bees, their late blooming season, often after the bees have departed the almond orchards, makes this option less valuable for beekeepers.
“These findings are promising, as cover crops may also promote soil health for almond farmers. However, California faces ongoing water shortages due to drought, and farmers typically utilize micro sprinkler systems that only irrigate the almond trees. There’s a risk that investment in cover crop seeds might not yield enough rain for germination,” Goodrich noted.
Consequently, offering discounts on pollination fees could help cover the added costs of planting cover crops and adjusting pesticide application schedules, making these strategies more appealing for farmers.
The survey also indicated that beekeepers appreciate receiving a 40% prepayment prior to arriving in California, ensuring them some income and necessary funds for transporting their colonies and preparing for pollination. Goodrich mentioned that this arrangement could work well for farmers who are financially capable of providing an upfront fee.
“Our research illustrates that crop farmers relying on pollination services can incorporate features into their contracts that will make them more appealing to beekeepers. While it may not always result in a price reduction, it could attract beekeepers to farms they previously might not have considered,” Goodrich concluded. “For beekeepers, this knowledge can aid in contract negotiations, such as agreeing to discounts for pesticide safeguards, cover crops, or prepayments. It’s beneficial to recognize that there are avenues for establishing mutually advantageous agreements.”
