Farm Compliance

Honey bees are responsible for pollinating more than 100 different crops, $15 billion worth annually in the U.S., and are a key factor in the agricultural industry’s ability to provide food products to the rest of the world. But honey bees are dying at an alarming rate. Over the last several winters, more than 25 percent of the honey bee population in the United States has vanished, many under mysterious circumstances. Early reports from beekeepers show this phenomenon is continuing in 2008.

For Häagen-Dazs ice cream, the reality of this threat has spurred the superpremium ice cream maker to launch a national campaign to protect these tiny unsung heroes. Everything from poor nutrition to invasive mites to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) - a phenomenon where bees from a colony abruptly desert the hive and die - is affecting the bees. This disappearance has scientists stumped and has the potential to affect many of our favorite nuts, fruits and berries - key ingredients in some of the most popular Häagen-Dazs flavors. In fact, nearly 40 percent of Häagen-Dazs all-natural ice cream flavors include ingredients dependent on honey bees for pollination.

To discover and prevent what’s killing our honey bees, the Häagen-Dazs brand is launching the Häagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees™ campaign to fund sustainable pollination and CCD research at Pennsylvania State University and the University of California, Davis.

“Häagen-Dazs ice cream is made from the finest all-natural ingredients, and the plight of the honey bee could mean many of the ingredients used in our top flavors, like Vanilla Swiss Almond and Strawberry, would be difficult to source,” said Häagen-Dazs brand manager Josh Gellert.

Putting all its marketing might behind the issue, the Häagen-Dazs brand will launch a website, print, television and online advertising dedicated to educating Americans about the problem and seeking their help to spread the word and join the campaign. The effort will also include information in retail stores and Häagen-Dazs® Shops and a full public relations campaign.

To further spotlight the issue, the Häagen-Dazs brand is launching a new honey bee-dedicated flavor in February 2008 - Vanilla Honey Bee. The brand is also tagging all of its honey bee-dependent flavors - from Häagen-Dazs Wild Berry frozen yogurt to Caramelized Pear and Toasted Pecan ice cream - with a HD loves HB™ icon. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the new flavor and all HD loves HB tagged flavors will be used to fund the $250,000 donation to UC Davis and Penn State.

Häagen-Dazs has recruited prominent university researchers and beekeepers to serve on a Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Bee Board to provide insight and consultation on the complex honey bee situation. Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Bee Board members include:

• Diana Cox-Foster, Ph.D., professor of entomology and CCD researcher at Penn State
• Dennis vanEngelsdorp, acting state apiarist with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and bee specialist at Penn State
• Robert Berghage, Ph.D., associate professor of horticulture, bee garden expert, Penn State University
• Sue Cobey, bee breeder, geneticist and leader of the bee breeding program at the UC Davis Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility
• Eric Mussen, Ph.D., extension apiculturist at the UC Davis Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility
• Michael Parrella, Ph.D., professor of entomology and associate dean, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Division of Agricultural Sciences, UC Davis
• Randy Oliver, beekeeping expert and teacher
• David Hackenberg, beekeeping expert and owner of Hackenberg Apiaries

“Honey bee health and sustainable pollination is a major issue facing American agriculture that is threatening our food supply and endangering our natural environment,” said Diana Cox-Foster, Ph.D., leading CCD researcher at Penn State and Häagen-Dazs Bee Board member. “Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream’s generous donation to Penn State’s research program will provide immediate funds for research, outreach and student training to help find a CCD solution and preserve our natural food supply.”

“The Häagen-Dazs brand and UC Davis have a shared goal of preserving our local natural ingredients in a sustainable future and their donation to the UC Davis Laidlaw facility will help us reach our goals through advances in research and community awareness programs,” said Michael Parrella, Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Bee Board member and associate dean, Division of Agricultural Sciences, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis.

There are several ways consumers can help save our favorite pollinators:

• Create a bee-friendly garden with plants that attract honey bees.
• Support the Häagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees program – a portion of the proceeds of the sale of all bee-dependent flavors will go toward helping the honey bees.
• Educate neighbors, schools and community groups about the severe situation the honey bees and our food supply are facing.

For full details on how the Häagen-Dazs brand is helping honey bees and how you can take part, please visit www.helpthehoneybees.com.