Plant for Pollinators: Creating Habitat Across Working Farms

Strategically managing non-crop areas can support pollinators, beneficial insects and biodiversity while maintaining productive agricultural land.

Farmers are familiar with the benefits of managing vegetation in crop fields to protect yield, preserve crop quality and make the most of every input. At the same time, strategically managing non-crop areas can create valuable habitat that supports pollinators, beneficial insects, wildlife, and overall biodiversity. Together, these practices support productive farming while expanding meaningful conservation outcomes.

Farms are diverse landscapes that require management of both agricultural areas and the spaces around them. While crop fields require thoughtful vegetation management to protect yields, field edges, fence lines, buffer strips and other non-crop areas can serve a different purpose. In these intentional spaces, flowering plants can provide nectar, pollen, and habitat for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects while contributing to a healthier and more biodiverse farm environment.

Plants can play different roles depending on where they grow and how they are managed. Some flowering plants that are undesirable in crop fields can provide valuable nectar, pollen, and habitat when managed in appropriate non-crop areas. When integrated thoughtfully into the farm landscape, these areas can support pollinators and other beneficial species while complementing productive agricultural systems.
Habitat plantings can take many forms, from flowers planted around the home or farmstead to native vegetation established on marginal land, awkward corners, rocky ground or areas near ditches and waterways. 

Native plants are often a strong choice because they are adapted to local growing conditions and provide reliable food and habitat resources for beneficial insects. Examples include butterfly milkweed, purple coneflower, giant blue hyssop, wild bergamot and black-eyed Susan. Diverse native plantings can also support a wide range of species, helping create habitat for birds, beneficial insects and other wildlife while strengthening biodiversity across the farm.

Research supports the value of these intentional habitats. Iowa State University's Science-Based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips (STRIPS) project has demonstrated that strategically placed prairie strips and native plant habitats can provide significant conservation benefits while coexisting with productive agricultural land. Research suggests that, with appropriate design and management, prairie strips and native plantings can provide conservation benefits while helping limit unwanted spread into adjacent crop fields.

Five Ways to Support Pollinators and Biodiversity on Your Farm

Creating habitat for pollinators does not require major changes to a farming operation. Small, intentional actions can make a meaningful difference.

1. Identify underutilized areas.
   Look for field edges, fence lines, buffer strips, odd-shaped corners, rocky ground, or areas near ditches and waterways that may be suitable for habitat plantings.
2. Plant diverse native species.
   Native plants such as butterfly milkweed, purple coneflower, wild bergamot, giant blue hyssop and black-eyed Susan provide nectar, pollen and habitat resources for a wide range of beneficial insects.
3. Reduce mowing where appropriate.
   Allow flowering plants in designated non-crop areas time to bloom before mowing to maximize their value to pollinators and other beneficial species.
4. Connect habitat areas across the farm.
   Even small plantings can have a greater impact when they connect with existing habitat areas and help create corridors for wildlife movement across the landscape.
5. Manage habitat intentionally.
   Support beneficial plants where appropriate while continuing to control invasive, problematic or agronomically damaging species in production areas.

Creating space for flowering plants does not mean allowing problematic, invasive or agronomically damaging plants to spread into productive fields. Instead, it means being intentional about where plants are preserved, encouraged or established. Managing crop fields and habitat areas differently allows each part of the landscape to serve its purpose.

By recognizing the ecological value of field edges, buffers, waterways and other non-crop areas, farmers can support pollinators, wildlife and biodiversity while maintaining productive agricultural systems. Sometimes the most effective approach is simply putting the right plant in the right place. When managed intentionally, habitat areas can help create agricultural landscapes that are productive, resilient and beneficial for a wide range of species.