IN YOUR ORCHARD
THE BEE BOX Bee Friendly Farming
Bee Friendly Farming (BFF) is a Pollinator Partnership program that collaborates with growers to protect, preserve and promote the health of pollinators. BFF offers growers simple, affordable, science-based guidelines to enhance pollinator health on their land. These guidelines include providing nutrition and habitats for bees, as well as implementing integrated pest management strategies. By joining BFF, you contribute to the preservation and protection of pollinator populations by implementing positive, incremental changes on your property. Program members play a vital role in maintaining healthy pollinators and an abundant food supply. To learn more, visit pollinator.org/bff/bff-us. Currently, BFF offers two levels of participation: • Original “BFF Certification”: This is a second-party verified program, meaning Pollinator Partnership both developed and verified the standards. Blue Diamond Growers’ OSIP program has used this version until now. • Rigorous third-party certification : This option involves independent verification by an auditing firm, Where Food Comes From. Note: The BFF program is scheduled to undergo changes in 2026. How Is BFF Changing? At the start of 2025, Bee Friendly Farming supported 365,999 acres of farmland and managed 156,136 acres of habitat across 801 farms. As we continue to expand, we are excited to announce that the original BFF second- party certification will be converted into a membership program, referred to as the Bee Friendly Farming
Program, beginning January 1, 2026. The transition will allow producers to continue establishing and maintaining BFF standards on their farms but will reserve the word “certification” only for third-party verified growers and brands. The third-party certification is available now and audited through Where Food Comes From. This change helps protect the integrity of the word “certified” in the marketplace for those who undergo the most rigorous verification. For existing BFF second-party participants, this change will have little impact on your current BFF status and will provide you with more resources and support. Reporting will remain similar, and communication around BFF and your membership will not change. As part of the new BFF Program: You may enroll in the program regardless of your current amount of habitat, IPM activities or other BFF criteria. Buyer incentive programs such as OSIP, which launches January 5 this crop year, will work closely with us to prevent any disruption to enrollment schedules. To remain eligible for OSIP Triple Diamond level, members must achieve BFF Tier 3, whose requirements mirror the standards previously required for BFF second- party certification. Members currently enrolled with an active status will automatically be placed in Tier 3. Log in to your BFF portal to ensure your farm status is “active” rather than “compliance is due.” If you are due for compliance, please renew before January 1 to ensure a smooth transition into the new program. For more information on tier requirements and standards, see the “What Are the Criteria to Become a Bee Friendly Farming Member?” section below.
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ALMOND FACTS
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