Pollinators are an important part of healthy, diverse agricultural landscapes, but supporting them goes far beyond honeybees and beehives.
In this episode of the Collective Impact Podcast, we sit down with Graham Parsons, Pollinator Biosecurity Specialist with Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture, to explore the world of pollinators and their connection to agriculture, biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.
Graham shares practical insights into what pollinators need to thrive, the challenges they face on the Prairies, and what farmers, landowners and communities can do to support them. We discuss everything from backyard beekeeping and native pollinators to flowering crops, cover crops, forage species, field margins and shelterbelts that can provide valuable food and habitat throughout the growing season.
We also explore how producers can balance pest management with protecting pollinators and beneficial insects, as well as the connections between pollinator habitat, regenerative agriculture, soil health, water management and biodiversity.
The conversation takes a broader look at what it means to create healthy habitat and why supporting pollinators isn't necessarily about adding honeybee hives—it’s about creating diverse landscapes where native bees and other pollinators, beneficial insects, birds and wildlife can thrive.
Whether you’re a producer, agronomist, beekeeper, gardener or simply interested in the natural systems that support agriculture, this episode offers plenty of practical information and a new perspective on the role pollinators play across the prairie’s agricultural landscape.