Participants ages 5-18 encouraged to participate

FRANKFORT (Jan. 26, 2022) - Kentucky youth are invited to participate in the 2022 Kentucky Pollinator Stakeholders Art Contest. The contest is designed to educate the public on the benefits of pollinators and encourage behaviors that promote pollinator habitats across the state.

“Pollinators are indispensable for agriculture,” Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles said. “Without pollinators, we don’t have food. This contest will showcase the importance of pollinators to Kentucky agriculture and the creative ways children from across the commonwealth can spread that message.”

With the theme, “Pollinators and Their Floral Hosts in Kentucky,” the contest will focus on the state’s wide variety of flowers and plants and the pollinators that visit them. Youth ages 5-18 are invited to participate.

“Managed bees and native pollinators are necessary to U.S. agriculture,” Tammy Potter, Kentucky State Apiarist, said. “More than 90 crops in the U. S., including many fruits and vegetables grown here in Kentucky such as apples, strawberries, peaches, pumpkins, melons, and canolabenefit from pollination with increased seed set, better flavors, and higher yields.”

These pollinators are necessary for Kentucky’s ecosystem and the art contest allows youth to celebrate that relationship between pollinator and plant.

Contest participants are divided into age categories with prizes awarded for first, second, and third place in each category. First-place winners will receive a $100 prize, second-place a $50 prize and third-place winners will receive a $25 prize. The prizes are sponsored by NiSource Charitable Foundation / Columbia Gas.

For more contest information or an entry form, go to: kyagr.com/statevet/honeybees.html. There participants will find suggestions on flowers and pollinators per age group.

Contest entries must be postmarked by Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.