Scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of animal pollinators. Supporting pollinators is critical to our food security and a key USDA conservation focus in collaboration with farmers, ranchers, and other land managers nationwide.

In June 2024, Dr. Elissa Olimpi shared findings on the value of pollinator practices applied through voluntary conservation programs including the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program and the Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Program. The recording of this one-hour Conservation Outcomes Webinar, available below, answers a suite of questions addressed in a study conducted by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in collaboration with USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project, including:

• How effective are these programs in supporting pollinators nationwide?
• Do voluntary conservation practices reach pollinators in areas of habitat loss?
• What strategies could increase the effectiveness of conservation practices in delivering pollinator benefits on private lands?

Findings may be used by agricultural producers, other land managers, conservationists, and researchers to prioritize conservation efforts that will deliver the greatest benefits to pollinators and production agriculture across the U.S. 

• Webinar Recording: The recording of this one-hour webinar is available via the NRCS YouTube channel.
• Presentation Slides: These slides were presented by Dr. Olimpi during the webinar event.
• Additional Resources One-Pager: This includes background on the webinar and USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project.
• Associated Virginia Tech Report: Key findings from this report are the focus of this webinar.