Protecting Vital Pollinators Through Improved Communication
"101's expertise and solution-focused approach play a vital role in our success."
Neal Evans, Operations Director at the Voluntary Initiative
Background
UK farmers and beekeepers have a longstanding tradition of working together to protect pollinators. To comply with best agricultural practices, farmers must notify local beekeepers 48 hours in advance of applying certain crop protection products. In the past, the lack of a consistent, efficient method for notifications often made this requirement challenging. To address these difficulties, the BeeConnected website was launched in 2016, providing a free, web-based system designed to help communication between farmers and beekeepers.
The BeeConnected platform, designed and built by 101 Websites & Apps, provides a convenient online method for farmers to notify local beekeepers about planned crop spraying and for beekeepers to register their hive locations to receive alerts. The system also includes the BeeMail messaging service which allows beekeepers to contact farmers direct if they have a question about spraying activities. The whole system is anonymised to ensure privacy for users.
Before the launch of BeeConnected, farmers intending to use insecticides notified their regional Spray Liaison Officer (SLO), who would then advise nearby beekeepers. This process was time-consuming and inefficient, relying heavily on each SLO’s personal networks and local knowledge. The advent of GDPR added further complexities, with privacy concerns around handling personal data. In addition, the SLO service primarily served British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) members, leaving others, including an increasing number of new hobbyists, unaware of notifications.
Seeing an opportunity to modernise the system and improve efficiency, the BBKA joined forces with the Crop Protection Association (now CropLife UK), the National Farmers Union and The Voluntary Initiative to develop an online system that would address the needs of both farmers and beekeepers. They selected 101 to create a user-friendly, web-based tool that would allow farmers to quickly and easily notify local beekeepers about planned insecticide applications.
“101 already had a successful track record supporting The Voluntary Initiative and CropLife UK with their websites and other projects. Their industry knowledge and proven expertise made them the logical choice for BeeConnected.” - Neal Evans, The Voluntary Initiative
The Brief
The brief for the BeeConnected website focused on addressing the challenges of the traditional notification system, ensuring the new web-based approach would offer an efficient, user-friendly and secure means of direct communication between farmers and beekeepers, removing the need for a middleman.
A key requirement for the project was to protect the privacy of both farmers and beekeepers. The platform needed to ensure that all personal data was handled securely and anonymously, allowing farmers and beekeepers to communicate without revealing their identities or exact locations. To enable direct communication while maintaining privacy, the system also needed to provide a built-in messaging system that would allow anonymous interaction between farmers and beekeepers.
The platform needed an accurate method for mapping hives and fields precisely. It also required a geographical matching capability to link the location of farmers' planned sprays with nearby hives, ensuring that beekeepers could be reliably notified.
The website needed to house a comprehensive database of crop protection products and crop types. This would allow farmers to specify the exact products they intended to use on specific crops, providing beekeepers with detailed information on potential risks.
The website required a reliable calendar and notification system to allow farmers to specify the dates when they planned to apply insecticides, with the system automatically triggering notifications to beekeepers.
Our Solution
With the BeeConnected website, 101 has developed a user-friendly platform that allows farmers to quickly and easily notify local beekeepers about planned insecticide applications. It provides a simple, free method of communicating directly about spraying activities, providing precise information on the crop protection products being used and the areas affected. Today, the service connects around 4,000 beekeepers with over 2,000 farmers, covering more than 12,000 fields.
"With BeeConnected, we have an effective solution that makes it easy for farmers to log planned sprays and automatically alerts local beekeepers with all the necessary details. Everything is anonymised to protect the privacy of both parties and encourage closer cooperation."
Neal Evans, The Voluntary Initiative
BeeConnected has removed the need for a middleman ensuring all beekeepers, from single-hive enthusiasts to large-scale operators, receive timely notifications about planned insecticide applications in their area. Beekeepers can also start conversations with farmers through the BeeMail messaging feature, encouraging closer cooperation and understanding. All notifications and messages are anonymised to ensure privacy.
The website features a Google Maps integration to enable precise mapping of farmers' fields and beekeepers' hives. By dropping a pin on a map, farmers can mark the exact field where spraying is planned, while beekeepers register hive locations with equal precision. Beekeepers specify the radius within which they want notifications for crop spraying, up to a distance of 5km. When a farmer logs a planned spray, the system automatically alerts all registered beekeepers within their specified notification radius, ensuring prompt and relevant notifications.
To allow farmers to input detailed information about their planned spraying activities, the platform houses a comprehensive database. This includes all relevant crop protection products and crop types, enabling farmers to detail the exact products they intend to use on specific crops. This information helps beekeepers determine if any action is needed to protect their hives.
Integral to the system, the platform includes a built-in calendar where farmers specify the dates they plan to apply insecticides and the system automatically triggers notifications to beekeepers within the specified radius. This feature includes reminders closer to the application date, ensuring beekeepers have ample time to plan ahead.
BeeConnected's reporting features provide administrators with comprehensive insights, enabling them to view detailed statistics on the number and geographic distribution of registered farmers and beekeepers. This includes specific information about scheduled crop spraying activities, locations, types of crops and crop protection products in use. These capabilities are helpful for monitoring system use and assessing its impact, ultimately contributing to the protection of honeybees.
"The BeeConnected website created by 101 is the foundation of the entire project, providing a user-friendly tool that farmers and beekeepers rely on to help safeguard vital pollinators. The 101 team is always helpful and accessible, with a fantastic response time. Their expertise and solution-focused approach play a vital role in our success."
Neal Evans, Operations Director at The Voluntary Initiative
