Aug 26, 2024

Terra Vera product to help protect bees, crop pollination

AgTech company Terra Vera has introduced a new brand aimed at enhancing bee health.

The Albuquerque-based firm’s ApiVera initiative comes in response to the ongoing decline in bee populations, a major concern for growers of vegetable crops including cucumbers, squash and peppers as well as apples, strawberries and almonds, that depend on bee pollination.

ApiVera will focus on developing bee-specific chemistries that tackle parasites and other factors contributing to bee mortality. The brand’s products, based on Terra Vera’s biodegradable amino acid-based technology, are designed to be safe for the environment and non-toxic. The launch includes a portable system ideal for small-scale commercial beekeeping.

Bee colony losses have been alarmingly high, with an average 30% decline reported by U.S. beekeepers each winter since 2006. To combat this, Terra Vera is advancing solutions such as a miticide pending EPA registration and a specialized fogger for hive health. These innovations are expected to help vegetable growers by ensuring the bees needed for pollination remain healthy.

Jeff Pettis, a leading entomologist, has joined Terra Vera as an advisor, supporting the company’s efforts to improve bee colony survival rates.

Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Terra Vera is a technology company that works to make agriculture more environmentally and economically sustainable through crop management solutions that replace conventional chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Terra Vera’s biomimicry technology provides growers and beekeepers with natural solutions.

For more information, visit terravera.com.