Latest news with #pollination
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Science
- South China Morning Post
As US beekeepers lose over half their colonies, experts fear for the future
Sweat covers Isaac Barnes's face under his beekeeper's veil as he hauls boxes of honeycomb from his hives to his truck. It is a workout in what feels like a sauna as the late-morning June temperature rises. Barnes was hot, but his bees were even hotter. Their body temperature can be up to 15 degrees Celsius higher than the air around them. As global temperatures rise under climate change, scientists are trying to better understand the effects on managed and wild bees as they pollinate crops, gather nectar, make honey and reproduce. They noticed that flying bees gathering nectar avoided overheating on the hottest days by using fewer but harder wing beats, according to a study published last year. Scientists also say that bees – like people – may cope by retreating to a cooler environment, such as the shade or their nest. 'Just like we go into the shade, or we sweat or we might work less hard, bees actually do the exact same thing so they can avoid the heat,' said Jon Harrison, an environmental physiologist at Arizona State University in the US and one of the study's authors.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Does the 2025 Corn Crop Have a Pollination Problem?
The US ag BRACE Industry has recently been squawking about a pollination problem with the 2025 US corn crop. We can ignore this group for the most part while focusing on what the market has been and continues to tell us about REAL fundamentals. More News from Barchart Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. Here we see, for whatever reason, some interest in US supply and demand next spring. Does the 2025 US corn crop have a pollination problem? This seems to be the subject du jour with nearly every ag media outlet devoting as much time and space to the subject as possible. According to most of these media accounts, the US will be lucky to harvest one truckload of corn this fall, leaving the world in a crushing supply deficit while sending the market soaring to $42[i] per bushel[ii]. Now, if you believe all this, I have a mountain-top villa in south-central Kansas to sell you. Why do I seem skeptical? After all, I'm no more an agronomist than I am an economist. But here's the thing, many of the folks who are squawking about how the sky is falling in regard to the US corn crop couldn't tell an ear of corn from a head of milo. Most of them are members in good standing of the BRACE[iii] Industry meaning they turn to whatever direction the USDA office is from them each morning and repeat their official mantra, 'Everything is always bullish'. If it wasn't a pollination problem it would be 'not enough heat units', or 'it's too hot', or 'it's too wet', or 'it's too dry', or my favorite 'the latest trade deals mean China is going to save US agriculture'. Huzzah! Huzzah!! Huzzah!!! As a former long-time member of the ag media circus turned long-term investor, I've learned to ignore nearly all of what the industry has to say. It gives me a HIT[iv] advantage to listen to what the markets are saying rather than the cacophony screeching voices always present in the background. Given all this, what is the corn market telling us in late July? As always, I'll turn to our key reads on real market supply and demand: The National Corn Index[v], national average basis[vi], and futures spreads. The National Corn Index ($CNCI) was calculated near $3.85 last Friday putting it in the lower 20% of its 5-year price distribution range[vii]. Based on the economic law of Supply and Demand, this tells us spot cash supplies are large in relation to immediate demand. National average basis was calculated last Friday at roughly 14.5 cents under September futures and 34.0 cents under December. The previous 10-year average for last week was 14.75 cents under September with the previous 5-year (and 10-year) low weekly close for the first week of September at 30.0 cents under December. Which leaves us with futures spreads. As you know, I use the price relationship between futures contracts to indicate how the commercial side is position based on its long-term fundamental outlook. A quick recap of what we've seen this past year: Dec25 corn spent the 6-month period from the first weekly close last September through the last weekly close this past February buying 2025 planted area away from the Nov25 soybean futures contract. The September corn contract, a hybrid issue[viii], showed its new-crop side during 2025 indicating those increased acres were planted early. The September-December futures spread posted a high daily close of 3.0 cents inverse on February 20, steadily falling to last Friday's close of 19.5 cents carry. Therefore, the market told us there would be more acres and those acres were planted earlier than usual. Since then, we've seen the 2025-2026 futures spreads (Dec25-Mar26 through May26-July26, summarized by the Dec25-Jul26 forward curve) tell us, to quote Paul Harvey, 'the rest of the story'. To get a better understand of what the market is saying, I track the trend[ix] of percent of calculated full commercial carry[x] covered by each spread and the forward curve. Here's what the trends have done from the first weekly close of March through late July: Dec25 (ZCZ25) -Mar26 (ZCH26) futures spread: 37% calculated full commercial carry (cfcc) to 57%. While still a neutral read, the larger percent tells us the commercial side is comfortable with the number of supplies that will be available in relation to demand during harvest. This same week last year the Dec24-Mar25 spread covered 46%. Dec25-Jul26 (ZCN26) forward curve: 30% to 47%. Again, the increase has been consistent. However, here we see a low weekly close (high percent) of 48% the second week of July. Mar26-May26 (ZCK26) and May26-Jul26 futures spreads: Here's where things get interesting as both spreads have stabilized during July. The March-May reflects the reality of bushels being tucked away over the winter, meaning demand is expected to firm against available supplies. Further out, the May-July closed last weekly covering 30% cfcc as compared to its low two weeks prior of 35% and 36% the same week last year. Is the lower percent due to tighter supplies tied to pollination? Is it due to increased demand from ethanol, feed, and exports? All are possible. The reality is we don't know. What we do know is the commercial side is keeping a close eye on longer-term supply AND demand. This past week I had the privilege of participating in Barchart's Grain Merchandising & Technology meetings in Ames, Iowa and Manhattan. At the Ames meeting, the other guest grains analyst Thomas Call, Senior Consultant of Commodity Risk at Mid-Co Commodities talked about how the corn market didn't seem to have much downside risk at current[xi] levels and seasonal tendencies. I agree, based on my price distribution study and seasonal studies for December corn futures. At last Friday's close, Dec25 was in the lower 23% of its 5-year range. At the Manhattan meeting Guy Allen, Senior Economist at Kansas State University discussed how corn could soon start to rally. As I've talked about over the past year, from an investment point of view, the Dec corn only continuous monthly chart showed a buy signal at the close of August 2024 with another possible at the end of this month, if Dec25 finishes above its June settlement of $4.2550. So, does the 2025 US corn crop have a pollination problem? Maybe. Or maybe not. I'll counter the braying BRACE Industry with this question: Does it matter? Recall Market Rule #5: It's the what, not the why. The 'what' in late July is commercial interests have been providing longer-term support. We'll see what happens over the coming months. [i] According to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, '42' is the answer to everything. A tip of the hat to Scott K., one of my former editors back in the newsroom. [ii] No, the US could never figure out the metric system the rest of the world uses. [iii] BRACE = Brokers/Reporters/Analysts/Commentators/Economists who as a group have never met a USDA statistic they won't quote or a make-believe story they won't pass along. [iv] Hedging-Investing-Trading [v] National average cash price, intrinsic value of the market [vi] National Corn Index minus futures [vii] Based on weekly closes only. This shows us how often a market or contract posts a weekly close above or below certain price levels over a set period of time. It's based on the idea there was value in knowing the upper and lower 33%. What I find more important is what it says about a market when we apply the economic Law of Supply and Demand. [viii] Part old-crop, part new-crop [ix] Simply price direction over time. No extravagant technical analysis necessary. [x] The total cost, storage and interest, to hold supplies in commercial storage. The storage rate is set by the CME with interest the sum of the 90-day SOFR rate + 2.2125 percent. [xi] Sorry Tony D. On the date of publication, Darin Newsom did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
On this day: Rare pair of bee orchids discovered growing in countryside
On this day in 2024, the East Anglian Daily Times reported that grounds maintenance operatives Gary Baggott and Joseph Wicko discovered a rare pair of bee orchids on Stoney Road in Grundisburgh, near Woodbridge. The bee orchid, known for its resemblance to a female bee, uses this disguise to attract male bees for pollination. However, in the absence of their preferred bee species in the UK, the flowers have adapted to self-pollinate. Mr Baggott expressed his excitement upon discovering the orchids. He said: "As soon as we saw them we knew what they were. "They're such beautiful, distinctive flowers, and it felt really special to see some in the wild." He added that it was remarkable to find them growing spontaneously, even though the site is not one of the designated meadow areas. The bee orchids at the Stoney Road site in Grundisburgh (Image: Flagship Group) Mr Baggott said: "We'll take extra care around here during the flowering period to make sure they're not disturbed." While bee orchids are not classified as endangered, they are under protection due to declining numbers, making their appearance a rare event. This discovery coincided with Flagship Group's initiative to establish 150 new wildflower meadows across its 1,000-plus green spaces annually until 2030. Interestingly, the Stoney Road site was not yet included in this programme. Daniel Salliss, biodiversity and land manager at Flagship, added: "We are thrilled by this discovery, and it highlights the richness of our local biodiversity and the critical role our team plays in preserving it." [From the East Anglian Daily Times of July 27, 2024]
ABC News
6 days ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Struggling South Australian beekeepers anxious about varroa mite risk
After struggling through drought and low prices, South Australia's beekeepers are heading into a key pollination season anxious about the potential spread of the bee-killing varroa mite. There has been little to no honey production this season in SA after drought reduced nectar and pollen availability. Hives are now moving into the state from around the country for critical pollination of crops such as almonds, with strict measures in place to prevent varroa mite from hitching a ride and adding to beekeepers' woes. Australian Honey Bee Industry Council chief executive Danny Le Feuvre said beekeepers "can't catch a break" after floods in the country's north and drought in the south hammered bee populations. "There's been some rain in SA, but where beekeepers make their honey from is from a lot of the native scrub and bush around the country, and it's very slow to react to rainfall," Mr Le Feuvre said. "Farm-gate honey prices are very low … so you add other impacts like drought, where they don't make a lot of production for the year, it's really pushing a lot of guys up against the wall. "We're seeing beekeepers stepping out of the industry. "We're seeing a lot of bunkering down to just get through this drought and hopefully come out the other side next year with a better season, but it's really tough at the moment." Heading into pollination season, the varroa threat adds to beekeepers' worries. Varroa destructor was first discovered in Australia in Newcastle in mid-2022 and has slowly spread to areas of Queensland and Victoria. It is yet to be detected in SA. Nationally, the plan is to manage the mite's spread, rather than attempt to eradicate it. Mr Le Feuvre said hives needed to be moved, but under careful management to slow varroa's spread. "Absolutely, it creates anxiety amongst beekeepers — no-one wants to get varroa mite — but we've got some good risk mitigation in place." SA Apiarist Association president Brenton Davis urged the state's beekeepers to be prepared. "The risk has never been higher, and it's pretty much inevitable that varroa would come into South Australia anytime in the near future," Mr Davis said. "I think it's up to individual beekeepers to prepare and be ready with plans, and attend the training sessions that are available, learn from people that are already doing it. "Start taking the steps now. Be as prepared as we possibly can so we can keep moving forward." Almond Board of Australia executive Tim Jackson said, despite the challenges, there were enough hives available for pollination this year. "If there's one good thing that has come out of varroa, it's that it has brought parties together to recognise that pollination shouldn't be taken for granted and that measures should be put in place to ensure that effective pollination occurs across all industries." Department of Primary Industries and Regions director of animal biosecurity Con Poulos said he understood people's concerns, but SA had strict permit conditions for bringing in hives from states where varroa was present. "We know that the risk has increased in Victoria and Queensland, but we've got some pretty strict movement restrictions in place for people applying to bring hives in from those two states this year," Mr Poulos said. "We're comfortable that they find the balance between slowing the spread of varroa as much as we can, as well as keeping pollination going for the industries that rely on it. "This season, the number of hives that we think might come in industry are telling us would be reliant on about $100 million worth of almonds, and then later on we've got lucerne and other crops that also need pollination, so it's critical to get that balance between biosecurity and keeping business afloat."
CBC
22-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
N.B beekeepers suffered above-average honey bee losses this year
Nathan Mutch stood in disbelief when he opened his honey bee hives this spring. The commercial beekeeper said it was heartbreaking to discover he had lost about three million bees and all but one of 60 hives. "It was incredibly depressing because we love our bees, just like they're our pets," Mutch said. Mutch is the co-owner of Halcomb Honey & Hives, near Miramichi. He and his wife, Kristen, sell honey and products made of beeswax, and they also rent their bees to blueberry producers for pollination. WATCH | Mites, climate change hurting bee population: This beekeeper started last winter with 60 hives. Only one survived 5 minutes ago Nathan Mutch said they would normally expect to lose anywhere from five to 25 per cent of their bees in a year. "This was the worst year by far," he said. "Pretty much everyone seemed to have really high losses." Chris Lockhart, president of the New Brunswick Beekeepers Association, said this year's high bee loss was an issue across the province. "I know of beekeepers that lost well over 50 per cent." Bee population on declining trend Kaushal Rathnayake, a pollination biologist at the University of New Brunswick, says declining bee populations are a "widespread problem." According to Rathnayake, many types of bees have been in record decline in recent years because of climate change. "The bees die suddenly without any reason because they cannot withstand our long winters, or the high temperatures or the fluctuation in temperature," Rathnayake said. Pascale Michaud, co-owner of AgroGene Solutions. detects infections in hives and honey bees. "There's not one reason why all the bees are dying," Michaud said. This season, she said, a lot of bees died because of viruses brought into hives by varroa mites, a parasite that attacks honey bees. But infections are hard to predict. "Because of climate change, we're seeing new things appear," she said. If nothing is done to slow the spread of viruses, Michaud said, they will only get worse. "I just think there needs to be more tools, more treatments." Honey bees and the N.B. blueberry industry Michaud said above-average bee losses have a wide impact. "We're still missing thousands and thousands of hives to be able to pollinate everything," she said. 'So, you know, if we keep losing 30 to 50 per cent of our hives each year, it's a big stressor on the beekeepers, of course, but really on everyone because it's directly tied to food security. Mutch said the blueberry industry is important in New Brunswick, "and without the bees, the blueberry industry wouldn't really survive." According to Bleuets NB Blueberries, an agency representing the province's largest blueberry producers, in 2021 the wild blueberry industry contributed $81 million to the provincial GDP. The New Brunswick Wild Blueberry Pollination Strategy aims to increase the number of bee colonies available for pollination by 60 per cent by 2029. But Lockhart said that because of this year's losses, beekeepers across the province sent out less than 30 or 40 per cent of what they would normally send to pollinate crops. The provincial honey bee expansion program can provide beekeepers with a maximum $20,000 a year to grow their operations. Mutch said the funding helps, but it won't be enough to meet provincial targets. Insurance programs fall short This year's bee deaths also have a significant financial impact on beekeepers. Mutch estimates he is out $50,000 between lost revenue for bee pollination rentals and the cost of replacing 99 per cent of his bees. AgriStability is a national insurance program designed to support Canadian producers facing large income losses. But Mutch hasn't applied. "You pretty much got to be a huge operation for it to really be worthwhile for you." Lockhart, who owns a 1,000-hive operation called Atlantic Gold Honey, applied to AgriStability, but not without hurdles. He decided to apply after losing about 30 per cent of his bees, costing him $100,000. "The downside about AgriStability is it takes about 18 months to get back the revenue that they're going to support you with," he said. "You could be bankrupt already." Lockhart said only a handful of beekeepers apply to the program. The program can be complicated to understand, so Lockhart had his accountant apply for it, which is another expense. Agriculture and Agri Food Canada said in a written statement that they have made changes to AgriStability to make it more accessible. The changes include increasing the coverage rate from 70 to 80 per cent, making parts of the application similar to the process of filing taxes, providing participants with their coverage notices early in the year and digital improvements making it easier for participants to communicate with staff and track their application. "The service standard for AgriStability is to process 75 per cent of applications within 75 days of receipt," the statement said. The New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries said in a statement that it was exploring honey bee insurance. In other provinces, bee mortality insurance covers 100 per cent of unexpected losses. "It would have helped a lot of beekeepers this year," Mutch said. "I'm hoping it comes in." Mutch said he now has 45 hives and so far, the new bees are looking healthy. "When you have everything invested into it, it's scary where it could go." If he loses a significant proportion of honey bees again, he might just give up beekeeping.
