Walmart increases efforts to save birds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators

Walmart Inc. announced a new effort to improve biodiversity and save pollinator populations on Tuesday, which aids in food production. Walmart says it will source all fresh produce and flowers from suppliers that adopt practices that promote integrated pest management and reduce the use of harmful pesticides by 2025. The company is also encouraging suppliers to phase out the use of certain pesticides that threaten bee populations. Other pollinators include birds, butterflies and bats. The retail giant is also encouraging suppliers to restore, protect or establish pollinator habitats on at least 3% of land they own, operate or invest in by 2025. And Walmart is establishing pollinator habitats around the solar panels at its South Carolina distribution center. Pollinators are critical to more than two-thirds of the food that we eat, said Martin Mundo, Walmart U.S.'s general merchandise manager for produce and global produce sourcing, in a blog post on the corporate website. "Imagine mornings without orange juice, summer picnics without strawberries, or holiday dinners without apple pie," he said. "Such a future is possible if we don't take collective action to begin restoring pollinator habitats around the world." Walmart stock has slipped 3.3% for the year to date while the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 9.8% for the period.

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