A Regional, Honey Bee-Centered Approach Is Needed to Incentivize Grower Adoption of Bee-Friendly Practices in the Almond Industry

Managed and wild bee populations contribute over $15 billion in pollination services to US agriculture, yet both are declining or becoming increasingly vulnerable parasites disease. The loss of healthy diverse forage is a key driver declines, so incentivizing land managers adopt diversified bee-friendly management practices such as plantings reduced pesticide use can directly increase food security, pollinator health, farmer adaptive capacity. To better understand what might incentivize growers practices, we conducted survey California almond growers, whose orchards entirely dependent on draw nearly 88% colonies each February pollinate bloom. We asked 329 respondents across all major growing regions CA about their adoption rate incentives for planting cover crops, habitat, practicing the recommended legally required best well interest certification programs. Using model selection framework, evaluated which geographic, social, operational, pollination-service related factors were predictive practice adoption. found that no single factor was statistically significant predictor models, suggesting there silver bullet determining However, discovered region concerns future consistently emerged important investigated, except BMPs. These findings suggest regionally flexible conservation strategy focused supporting honey have highest likelihood grower participation