The University of Missouri Extension has started a program that is pushing state beekeepers to be more visible.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the effort is called the Missouri Pollinator Conservancy Program. It urges beekeepers to register their hives online. After registering, they can buy bright yellow BeeCheck flags that are used to alert others to the presence of hives. The program also is offering 200 free fiberglass flagpoles, which can be picked up at the Delta Research Center in Portageville or the main extension office in Columbia.
The goal of the extension program is to encourage stronger communication between the agriculture and apiary communities to minimize the risks presented by pesticide drift. That's when chemicals stray from their intended target areas, often because of strong winds.