HORT INNOVATION is proud to celebrate Australian Pollinator Week (8-15 November 2020). 
 
Pollinators are vital to ensure we get the fruit, vegetables and nuts we love. Honey bees are very important to the Australian horticultural industry and are one of the many pollinators doing the hard work.  
 
Australian Pollinator Week acknowledges the important and unique insect pollinators found in Australia. It is a designated week when communities, businesses and organisations come together to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and support their needs, and Hort Innovation is proud to take part.  
 
Hort Innovation invests in a variety of projects to support pollinators and enhance their viability for growers. Some of these projects include: 

• Looking into flies and their ability to pollinate crops in the field
• Helping understand the uses of native stingless bees in crops and glasshouses
• Ensuring we safeguard our pollinator communities through a nationwide surveillance program.

Hort Innovation CEO Matt Brand said, “We are a proud supporter of Australian Pollinator Week. Research and development is essential for the horticulture industry as pollination is a key ingredient in the ability to produce a crop. The role of pollinators is critical and we need to make sure we maintain Australia’s unique biodiversity that ensures pollination of our favourite foods.” 
 
Hort Innovation is putting together a month long series of activities to celebrate: 

• Get to know your pollinators – profiles of ‘insect of the week’ on social media
• Webinar – The future of horticulture and pollinators: how to ensure pollinator health in protected cropping systems - you can register to attend here
• Meet our very own beekeeping CEO (video and blog)

Everyone can help pollinators – from your balconies, backyard or farm. Pollinators need access to flowers all year long, so ensure you plant a range of species. To get some ideas, have a look at our world day bee video.

More information:

• https://www.horticulture.com.au/hort-innovation/our-work/hort-frontiers-strategic-partnership-initiative/pollination-fund/