Dakota Farmer

Efforts to bring back butterflies continueEfforts to bring back butterflies continue

Farming News and Notes: Big money funds projects to restore pollinator habitat and grow milkweed. Plus: What bees can tell us about pollution, how Bayer is backing biofuels, and the latest progress in fighting methane.

Tom J. Bechman, Midwest Crops Editor

January 31, 2025

3 Min Read
A butterfly on a purple flower
PROMOTE POLLINATORS: This butterfly enjoyed time on a blossom in Bayer’s pollinator plot at a recent Farm Progress Show. Tom J. Bechman

Truly, it is not one world. You invest each year to kill weeds. Other people dole out money through grants to grow weeds.

OK, that’s a simplification. But thanks to grants handed out from the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund, it is reality. Fortunately, the primary weed they’re promoting is milkweed, which is not likely on your list of problem weeds.

In fact, milkweeds are so easy to knock out that habitat for the monarch butterfly has decreased significantly. Conservation experts estimate that over the past 20 years, the population of monarchs has caved more than 80%. Loss of habitat, primarily milkweed, is a major factor.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation awarded $5.2 million in grants to conserve monarch butterflies and other insect pollinators. Matching funds will turn that into $10.2 million. Partners in the effort include the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Bayer Crop Science, Danone North America and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation.

What will these funds accomplish? Estimates are that they will restore and enhance over 26,000 acres of pollination habitat, collect over 360 pounds of milkweed seed, grow over 3,000 milkweed seedlings and host more than 190 educational meetings.

Tracking pollution with bees

Want to know what major pollutants exist near you? Check your honey. Researchers say there may be things there you don’t expect. As reported in Environmental Pollution, researchers from Tulane University tested 260 jars of honey collected from 48 states and found traces of arsenic, lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium and cobalt.

Don’t panic — no toxic substances were found at harmful levels. It’s still OK to enjoy honey on your toast, researchers say. However, such findings provide guidance on where industrial pollution occurs. Apparently, honeybees pick up whatever they contact, and it ends up in their honey.

Bayer and biofuels

Bayer made two moves recently that signify commitment to the biofuels industry:

  • Developing camelina. Bayer acquired camelina germplasm and intellectual property assets from Smart Earth Camelina Corp. Camelina is a new oilseed crop with a promising low-carbon intensity score.

  • Backing canola in the U.S. Bayer and Neste, a major producer of aviation fuel and renewable diesel, signed a memorandum of understanding signifying that together, they will develop a winter canola “ecosystem” in the southern Great Plains. It’s part of Bayer’s goal to decarbonize the transportation industry through innovative crops for renewable fuels. The company intends to launch TruFlex, a hybrid winter canola, in the U.S. in 2027.

Seeking methane fighters

Preliminary data shows that bromoform compounds from certain seaweed species reduce methane production in cows. However, red seaweed only grows in certain areas of the world and is expensive. Plus, there may be toxicity issues.

That is motivating USDA Agricultural Research Service researchers in Texas and ag engineers at Iowa State University to search for compounds that could be sourced or manufactured. They would perform the same function as bromoform without the negatives.

The task may seem impossible, except for one factor. Researchers have artificial intelligence on their side. They are hard at work searching for methane inhibitors that are safe for cows and the human health chain. Once compounds are identified, they will be tested in the lab and in cows. Stay tuned!

About the Author

Tom J. Bechman

Midwest Crops Editor, Farm Progress

Tom J. Bechman became the Midwest Crops editor at Farm Progress in 2024 after serving as editor of Indiana Prairie Farmer for 23 years. He joined Farm Progress in 1981 as a field editor, first writing stories to help farmers adjust to a difficult harvest after a tough weather year. His goal today is the same — writing stories that help farmers adjust to a changing environment in a profitable manner.

Bechman knows about Indiana agriculture because he grew up on a small dairy farm and worked with young farmers as a vocational agriculture teacher and FFA advisor before joining Farm Progress. He works closely with Purdue University specialists, Indiana Farm Bureau and commodity groups to cover cutting-edge issues affecting farmers. He specializes in writing crop stories with a focus on obtaining the highest and most economical yields possible.

Tom and his wife, Carla, have four children: Allison, Ashley, Daniel and Kayla, plus eight grandchildren. They raise produce for the food pantry and house 4-H animals for the grandkids on their small acreage near Franklin, Ind.

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