Pollination is everything when trying to grow crops, and it is why tree nut growers are getting picky about the bees touching their crops.
They are using Blue Orchard Bees, which are like honeybees but do not use a queen or worker bees. Orchard farmers tend to prefer them because man-made nests can be placed throughout the rows.
One grower says that while they are beneficial, they are not for everyone.
“It takes the right grower. It takes, you know, a progressive grower. The challenge for the grower as we see it right now is that it’s hard for them to attribute the bump in yield to the bee, you know, if you’re talking about a 10% bump in yiled, what you have to do is either believe the research or you don’t, is really what it comes down to,” said Jim Watts.
California almond acreage tightens while pistachios shift into an off-year, shaping a mixed outlook for prices and supply in the tree nut market.
April 28, 2026 04:45 PM
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New treatments offer hope, but challenges remain for beekeepers.
April 28, 2026 04:33 PM
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Lewis Williamson with HTS Commodities joins us to break down the latest USDA crop progress report, share insights from growers, and discuss how global factors are shaping planting decisions this season.
April 28, 2026 04:25 PM
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Growers are making progress with planting despite dry conditions.
April 28, 2026 03:53 PM
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House lawmakers push toward a Farm Bill vote as debate grows over E15, Prop 12, and input costs, with farmers seeking certainty and policy updates.
April 28, 2026 02:42 PM
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RFD News correspondent Frank McCaffrey spoke with the Texas Shrimp Association at the Port of Brownsville about the future of the USDA’s new Office of Seafood.
April 28, 2026 12:03 PM
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