At Northstar we are committed to supporting UK Agriculture and to promoting the use of novel plant lipids from crops grown and processed in the UK.

However, the growing demand for industrial crops, including biofuel, has reduced the bio-diversity of the countryside, with many of the novel, oil rich plants being removed from planting programmes.

Many of these novel crops rely on insect pollination and play a key role in sustaining a healthy bee colony during the late summer months, a time other commercial crops have been harvested. There is a strong mutual interdependence between the bee and the plant, with a trade-off of nectar for pollination and, as a side benefit to us, highly nutritious, often uniquely flavoursome honey. The loss of these crops from the countryside has played a part in the decline in the UK bee population and, in response, we are doing our bit to help correct the balance.

The Bee Friendly project has several objectives

• To raise awareness of the diverse range of novel oilseed crops that can be grown in the UK and, in particular, those which have a mutually beneficial relationship with honey bees
• To encourage formulators to use the high value oils from these crops which in turn will help increase domestic crop production
• By increasing biodiversity and crop availability, create the right environment to create healthier, more sustainable bee colonies throughout the UK
• Identify potential cosmetic applications for high value, UK grown, monofloral honey

For more information usage advice and formulation suggestions please click here to contact us!