Most all of the world's food necessary to sustain life is wind 
pollinated (most grains like wheat, corn, and rice). Even many fruits 
and vegetables are 'self-pollinated". So even if all of the NPs touted 
by the NP group left the scene, there would be food, but not enough for 
the current population of the world. Lots of disease too, since there 
would be vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Pollinators can increase yields because the wind does not do that great 
a job. As the Canadian GM soybean studies showed, you can get up to 30% 
increase in yields with pollinators in a self-pollinated crop.

So habitat, watershed, and other aspects of hedgerows are fine. But do 
not expect the added increase you get from honeybees, because it is not 
a sustainable habitat for NP unless you go small and diverse and have 
lots of habitat. But the NP crowd is mostly organic and that fits with 
what they want from agriculture.

Only problem is, in that same study, it showed all the increase was in 
the GM soy and none with the organic (which was already pollinated). The 
GM crops yields were greater than the organic before pollination! The 
reason was plant damage from pests in the organic fields. Which says you 
can expect a 30% decrease in optimum yield from an organic field 
compared to a GM field.

I have nothing against NPs, since I have many in my garden. I do have 
trouble with those who tout them as if they can solve all our problems. 
Especially with all the organic folk asking where they can get honeybees 
after Varroa hit and the NPs did not and do not do the job. They were 
getting free pollination from local honeybees.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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