{"id":8029,"date":"2017-06-20T10:44:05","date_gmt":"2017-06-20T14:44:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/growingreturns\/?p=8029"},"modified":"2025-06-10T17:06:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T21:06:00","slug":"monarch-butterfly-pollinator-emergency-food-companies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/growingreturns\/2017\/06\/20\/monarch-butterfly-pollinator-emergency-food-companies\/","title":{"rendered":"How food companies can turn the pollinator emergency into a big opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The<\/a>
The rusty patched bumblebee was listed as an endangered species in early 2017. [Photo credit<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>Bees, beetles and butterflies are in big trouble.<\/p>\n

Pollinators all over the world are experiencing dramatic declines in populations, with about 40\u00a0percent<\/a> of all invertebrate pollinator species facing a very real threat of extinction. Just last October, several species of bees<\/a> were added to the U.S. Endangered Species List for the first time. Monarch butterfly populations also face the potential threat of a future listing, with populations down by more than 90 percent in recent decades.<\/p>\n

These stats are concerning because pollinator health is a strong indicator of an ecosystem\u2019s overall health. Pollinator decline directly correlates with habitat loss, decreased plant diversity, and increased disease in the ecosystem.<\/p>\n

This problem cannot be solved by any one sector. Restoration of pollinator habitats will require significant investment and collaboration between both public and private sectors \u2013 especially businesses with bottom lines directly tied to pollinator success.<\/p>\n

[Tweet “How food companies can turn the pollinator emergency into a big opportunity, via @GrowingReturns.https:\/\/edf.org\/8Nr”]<\/p>\n

The business case for bees<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Young<\/a>
Pollinators are responsible for one third of all agricultural output in the United States and at least 35 percent of the world\u2019s food production. Nearly 200,000 species act as pollinators \u2013 including bees, butterflies, beetles, moths, bats, birds and wasps. [Photo credit<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>Pollinator declines will have significant direct and indirect impacts on companies\u2019 business models \u2013 particularly in the food and agriculture sectors, which depend heavily on pollinators to grow fruits, vegetables and nuts. The current estimated economic impact of continued pollinator decline is\u00a0approximately $186 billion.<\/a><\/p>\n

Restoring pollinator populations to healthy levels will help avoid these economic losses and even create gains through increased yields for farmers and higher quality crops \u2013 translating to good business for companies that rely on these products.<\/p>\n

Restoring pollinator habitat will also provide environmental benefits, including:<\/p>\n