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.
Strong feedlot demand keeps beef-on-dairy calf premiums elevated.
April 06, 2026 04:30 PM
·
Roger McEowen discusses how long-term healthcare costs for elderly Americans are reshaping estate-planning decisions for farm families and what producers should consider moving forward.
April 06, 2026 02:23 PM
·
Farmer Jeffry Mitchell with the Mississippi Farm Bureau joins us for a spring planting update from the southeast region as drought, input costs, and fertilizer access complicate crop progress.
April 06, 2026 02:04 PM
·
Cattle producers face mounting pressure as U.S.-Mexico trade talks resume, but expanding drought, rising input costs, and policy work to improve the long-term industry outlook.
April 06, 2026 01:27 PM
·
The White House’s plan calls for a nearly 20 percent reduction in the USDA’s budget, which would impact various food and agriculture aid programs.
April 06, 2026 12:08 PM
·
More Farms File for Bankruptcy As Strong Farm Loan Demand Boosts Bank Earnings
April 06, 2026 12:02 PM
·