The Importance of Pollinators:
Did you know that one out of every three bites of food has been influenced by animal pollination? Pollinators are involved in the production of healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Additionally, they are also involved in the pollination of some less-commonly known products such as cacao (chocolate), vanilla, agave, and even coffee! On top of that, pollinators contribute to the production of oils, fibers, seeds, and food for livestock. Take a moment to consider the impact of pollinators on your daily life – you might be surprised by how much their lives, directly and indirectly, affect yours!
Ongoing research looks into how to ensure and increase crop yields as well as landscape conservation and diversity while also ensuring healthy populations of pollinators for the long-term.
Read more about what UT is doing to help pollinators in the Fall/Winter 2019 issue of Land, Life & Science:
https://ag.tennessee.edu/Pages/LLSmagazine.aspx
You can also grab yourself a poster here (& support pollinators):
https://www.pollinator.org/shop/posters