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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Bee loaded with pollen on a blooming yellow sunflower. In the background are more sunflowers, water and sun filtered sky with clouds.

Pollinators Benefit Agriculture

Updated July 23, 2026

Pollinator services

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the economic value of the relationship of pollinators and global crops is more than $235 billion a year.  It is estimated that as much as 35 percent of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce. That’s one out of every three bites of food we consume.

Within the U.S.:

  • Approximately 4,000 species of native wild bees in the United States contribute to agricultural pollination. Several other animals like birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, and beetles also help pollinate crops. In return, agricultural crops provide food to meet daily energy needs, shelter, and other resources for pollinators. 
  • Insect pollination services add more than $34 billion in economic value to U.S. agricultural crops annually and provide diverse diets for humans including fruits, nuts, and vegetables. 
  • Honey bees, although not native to the U.S., are responsible for up to $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Native pollinator insects like bumble bees, butterflies, moths, and ants also play a vital role in pollination across the country.

Crops such as almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, alfalfa, tomatoes, and pumpkins need insect or bird pollination to produce food. Pollinators also pollinate other plants and contribute to ecosystem biodiversity, aid plant growth, prevent soil erosion, increase carbon sequestration, and improve water quality.

Pollinator health is of great importance to the well-being of U.S. agriculture, food security, and the nation’s overall economy.

Working with partners to protect pollinators

Learn more about threats to pollinators

For the past 25 years, many species of bees and other pollinators have experienced large drops in numbers. Threats to pollinators include habitat loss, disease, and climate change. 

Currently, there are more than 70 species of pollinators listed as endangered or threatened with many other pollinator populations declining worldwide. Our partners and us are focused on helping at-risk pollinators, restoring habitat, working with others to meet pollinator needs, and dedicating resources for pollinator science.

Learn about programs and partnerships to help protect pollinators.

Julie Combs writes on clipboard while looking at vegation.
State Wildlife Grant Program
Pollinators across Washington and California are benefitting from nearly 400 acres of restored prairies, grasslands, and oak savannah habitats thanks to dedicated conservation partners funded by our State Wildlife Grant Program.
Western bumble bee on goldenrod in the Wallowa Mountains In Oregon
Bumble Bee Atlas
The Bumble Bee Atlas project has grown has volunteers involved in collecting data on native bumblebees in the Pacific Northwest to a nationwide quest to learn as much as we can about these vital pollinators.
Three people standing behind a tractor loading a seed planter
Planting the Seeds of Pollinator Conservation
In Mills River, North Carolina our Partners for Fish and Wildlife program provided technical planning support and funding for a low-maintenance pollinator meadow.
Three people standing on a stream bank
Partners for Fish and Wildlife
Learn more about national efforts we are involved in including the National Seed Strategy, our collaborative work with USDA, the Department of Defense, and ongoing work through our Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program that provides free technical and financial assistance to landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested in restoring or improving wildlife habitat on their land.
Aerial image of a farm with black shapes outlining pollinator habitat restoration locations.
Climate Smart Practices
Farmers are a vital partner in pollinator conservation - They have incorporated climate smart practices to combat climate change and aid pollinators. Farmers are planting pollinator friendly cover crops, field margins, and buffer crops that benefit pollinators. Some farmers have also begun to integrate other practices such as less frequent tilling and using neem oil-based products (non-synthetic) in their pest management which studies have shown to be more beneficial to the environment.

Related stories

Explore all stories about pollinators
A successful public-private partnership in northeast IowaNarrow-leaved coneflower in front of a prairie sunsetCentral Valley collaborative seeding changeAlmond trees in bloomNational Agriculture DayA woman hands a small tree to someone to plantUniting agriculture and conservation in IowaBlooming pink flowers in front of a corn field with the sun setting.Partnering for conservation in the southeastagriculture fieldsRedefining food security and community in Los AngelesVertical container garden structures with vegetablesRanch for at-risk youth converts farmland back to desert wetlandA large flock of ducks take flight over a green shrubs with a desert ridge in the background.Saving native prairie in Oregon's Willamette ValleyWide view of prairie with pond in the distance on a partly cloudy day.

Learn more about pollinators

Explore the Center for Pollinator Conservation
Pollinators Benefit EconomiesRed poppies blooming under a powerline as the sets in the distanceThreats to PollinatorsMonarch caterpillar on milkweed in front of a road and a building with a red roof.Nocturnal PollinatorsA white moth with a large fuzzy body and long antennaeHow We Help PollinatorsHands hold a monarch butterfly and a sticker tag on an unbent paperclip.Save the MonarchGroup of monach butterflies clustered on a eucalyptus tree.How You Can Help PollinatorsA small house structure filled with wood bundles stands among flowering plants.
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