Apply for the Utah Pollinator Program, receive 90 native plants

Photo: Utah Pollinator Program

In March 2021, the Utah legislature passed House Bill (HB) 224. The bill mandated the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) to develop a three-year pilot program aiming to enhance pollinator habitat in Utah.

As a result, UDAF now collaborates with local non-profits and conservation experts to spearhead the pilot program. Pollinator species, such as bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and others, are in decline worldwide due to a spread of factors. These include habitat loss and degradation, pesticide use, and changing climate.

Pollinators are key to the production of specialty food crops such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and seeds which provide us with essential micronutrients.

The program was first implemented last year, receiving 345 applicants, with 110 of them being awarded pollinator kits. This year, UDAF aims to increase the number of applicants and will provide them with three kits each, amounting to 90 plants. The application deadline is June 19. 

Application Requirements:

• A minimum space requirement of 900 square feet is needed for consideration
• Applicants must complete the entire online application form before the June 19th deadline to be considered for that calendar year
• Each separate project requires a separate application
• Applicants must agree to a 3-year follow-up period (taking a photo of what survived etc)

“The population of the monarch butterfly has been declining for the past decade, which brought to light the decline of the pollinators in general to the legislature,” said Mindy Wheeler, rare plants coordinator at Utah State University. “We also support our native bees, which Utah has one of the highest species in the West. We are offering native plants for that purpose. We are looking at pollinator corridors somewhat, but really we look for a level of detail in the applications that give us an idea that these applicants are really invested in making this work.”