IN YOUR ORCHARD
THE ALMOND BOARD
Pending Endangered Listings: What Growers Need to Know As many almond growers have added pollinator forage to their properties, two pollinator species are pending addition to the endangered species list, a decision with major implications for farmers. Dr. Josette Lewis, Almond Board of California (ABC) chief scientific officer, said that 2023 will be a decisive year for the endangered listing of the monarch butterfly and native bees in California, which leads to questions for growers. Lewis took some time to sit down with the Almond Board and discuss potential protections for growers who are already working to protect pollinators.
Almond Board: What is the status of the monarch butterfly being listed as an endangered species ? Dr. Josette Lewis: A couple of years ago, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the decision that monarch butterflies were warranted as an endangered species, but they had other priorities at the time. So, while it was not going to be listed, they are required by law to revisit that decision by the end of this calendar year. AB: If they are listed as endangered, what does that mean for almond growers ?
The first is that a lot of almond growers have stepped up and added pollinator forage, flower resources and habitat to their farms and land around their farms. We’ve seen a great response in terms of the number of growers who have registered as Bee Friendly Farms (BFF), who are putting in flowering cover crops and working with organizations like Monarch Joint Venture to specifically put in monarch habitat around their ranches. Several handlers are working with growers on pollinator habitat as well, as it has value to some almond buyers. For those growers who have stepped up, we want to make sure that they are protected if the monarch is listed as an endangered species. So, if they accidentally harm the caterpillars or the butterflies themselves, we want to make sure that they are not breaking the law because they’ve done such a good job of adding that forage into their operation. The other issue, on an industry level, is that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who must approve every crop protection product our industry can use. It was mandated by law to increase their review of the potential negative impacts of pesticides on endangered species. We know that if the monarch is listed, some of the products we use when they come up for re-registration, or any new products that are developed and need to be registered, will have extra scrutiny for their potential impact and could involve more restrictions on the use of those products. AB: So, it sounds like there could be legal concerns for growers and a bigger concern of more regulation on certain products if the monarch gets listed as endangered.
JL: It means a couple of things:
If pollinators that are found in almond orchards are given endangered species listings, ABC has partnered with other organizations to outline protection for growers who are using cover crops.
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ALMOND FACTS
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