For honeybees, the months between July and September aren’t the finest months for collecting pollen in America—which is problematic considering these are the months that honeybees are supposed to thrive. The reason behind this is that there’s a lack of farm crops during that time that produces pollen. But according to a new study from Colorado State University, having farmers plant hemp crop flowers could fill the void and help declining bee populations thrive.
Now you might be asking: isn’t hemp weed? While hemp is a strain of cannabis, the industrial variety is used to create paper, clothing, textiles and biodegradable plastics, among other goods. This means that industrial hemp can be profitable for farmers while benefitting the environment. And it’s not just bees that would benefit. Bats, butterflies, and hummingbirds are all pollinators that are essential for the lifecycle of crops and other flowing plants.
