May 10, 2012

Get Your Buzz on with Bees at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Department of Ag, Garden, Zoo and Beekeepers Join Forces to Promote Bees

The Department of Agriculture will launch a new statewide initiative Friday morning in St. Louis to start a buzz about bees and promote their importance to food production. The Great Missouri Buzz Off encourages Missourians to visit AgriMissouri.com to learn more about beekeeping and to get growing with bees.

Missouri is home to more than 400 species of bees - most of which pollinate our native plants and work to make many staple crops available to Missourians. In addition to producing roughly 2 million pounds of honey each year, Missouri's bees support many locally produced farmers' market favorites, including apples, peaches, pumpkins and cucumbers.

WHAT:
Launch The Great Missouri Buzz Off, Get Your Buzz On - an educational and promotional campaign teaching Missourians how to get involved in beekeeping.

WHO:
Missouri Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler, Missouri Botanical Garden Vice President of Horticulture Andrew Wyatt, St. Louis Zoo's Curator of Invertebrates Ed Spevak and Missouri State Beekeepers Association Vice President John Timmons

WHEN:
Fri., May 11, 2012
11 a.m.

WHERE:
Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Blvd.
St. Louis, Mo. 63110