Partnership will distribute 3,600 seed packets through MDC’s Discover Nature Schools and nature centers.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Pollinators play a critical role in the production of most fruits and vegetables and a great way to support them is by planting native plants. Bayer is helping the cause by giving away free native-plant seed packets through a new partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).
MDC’s new partnership with Bayer will distribute 3,600 native seed packets through MDC’s Discover Nature Schools program and at MDC’s nature centers across the state.
Bayer is best known for its aspirin, but the global company has been a strong advocate for biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and protection of our pollinators for more than 30 years.
“Pollinators are responsible for one-in-three bites of food we eat,” said MDC Education Chief Shawn Gruber. “Through this partnership with Bayer, MDC can continue to spread awareness about the importance of pollinators and encourage the public to support them by planting native plants.”
Bayer will provide 3,600 native-plant seed packets to MDC to distribute to schools and Missourians through its nature centers and Discover Nature Schools (DNS) program this year.
More than 600 Missouri schools are enrolled in MDC’s Discover Nature Schools program. The curriculum teaches students from pre-K through high school about Missouri’s native plants, animals, and habitats and connects them with nature.
“Students and the public are able to access hundreds of pollinator-related educational programs across the state each year through our DNS program and nature centers,” said Gruber. “These seed packets will facilitate hands-on learning for thousands of students.”
MDC’s partnership with Bayer is made possible by Missourians for Monarchs, a collaboration of conservation-minded organizations and entities committed to monarch butterfly and pollinator conservation. Learn more at moformonarchs.org.
Interested in planting native and finding a native-plant retailer? Visit Grow Native! at grownative.org.
To learn more about Discover Nature Schools, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zxx.
To find an MDC nature center near you, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4JV.
Learn more about Bayer’s efforts to support pollinators at https://www.bayer.com/en/.