Every commission we earn puts money into bee conservation.
When you buy seeds through CannabisGrower.ai, seed banks pay us a referral commission. We pass 10% of that commission to The Bee Conservancy (North America) and the Bijenstichting (Europe). Every quarter, we publish exactly what that number was. You pay nothing extra.
Browse SeedsHow it actually works
Affiliate revenue is the engine most seed discovery sites hide. We don't.
You find a strain and click Buy
You land on the seed bank's site. The price is exactly what they charge everyone — no markup, no surcharge.
The seed bank pays us a commission
Seed banks pay affiliate commissions — typically 10–20% of the order value — as a standard acquisition cost. It's built into their pricing model. You're not funding it; the seed bank is.
We pass 10% of our commission to bee conservation
10% of the commission we earn goes to The Bee Conservancy (North America) or Bijenstichting (Europe) — based on where you are. Not from you — from us. Every quarter, we publish the exact figure.
Example: You order $100 worth of seeds. The seed bank pays us ~$15 commission. We donate $1.50 — 10% of that commission — to The Bee Conservancy (if you’re in North America) or the Bijenstichting (if you’re in Europe). That's not a token gesture. It's a fixed share of our revenue, every quarter, with the receipt published.
What's actually happening to bees
The situation is serious. Here's what the research says — without the drama, but without the spin.
55.6%
of managed US honey bee colonies lost in 2024–2025
The highest annual loss rate since records began in 2010.
Apiary Inspectors of America, 2025 ↗40.2%
of US colonies lost in winter 2024–2025 alone
Exceeds the decade average for winter losses.
ScienceInsights, Nov 2025 ↗34.7%
of native North American bee species at risk of extinction
Wild bees — not just managed honey bees — are disappearing.
IUCN Red List / North American Bee Atlas, 2024 ↗~$200B
annual economic value of bee pollination worldwide
Bees pollinate over 75% of the world's food crops.
IPBES Global Assessment, 2024 ↗Why is this happening?
Three factors interact and compound each other. The Varroa destructor mite is the most immediate threat to managed hives — it parasitises bees and transmits viruses that compromise the colony's immune system. Left untreated, a hive typically collapses within two to three years.
Habitat loss is the slower crisis. In parts of the Midwest US, 85% of the land is farmed as monoculture — leaving almost no diverse pollen available. A bee foraging on a single crop is nutritionally malnourished, leaving it more vulnerable to disease and parasites. (ScienceInsights, 2025)
Pesticides — neonicotinoids in particular — are systematically toxic to bees even at sublethal doses. Studies show they impair navigation, reduce queen production, and cut male drone sperm viability by 39%. The EU has restricted several neonicotinoids. (EFSA, 2023)
Wild bees are in deeper trouble than honey bees and attract far less attention. Bumblebee populations have contracted by 46% in North America and 17% in Europe by occupied range. The American bumblebee has vanished from at least eight states. (ScienceDaily, May 2024)
Why does this affect you?
Roughly 75% of the world's food crops that produce fruits, seeds, and nuts depend on insect pollination. Almonds. Blueberries. Avocados. Coffee. Apples. Cannabis, if grown outdoors. The economic value of that pollination work is estimated at between $200 billion and $577 billion annually. (FAO, 2024)
The good news: bee populations are recoverable. Habitat restoration works. Reducing pesticide use works. Creating corridors of flowering plants through agricultural land works. That's exactly what The Bee Conservancy and the Bijenstichting focus on — in North America and Europe respectively.
Who we support
10% of our commission revenue — split between two organisations based on where our customers are.
Founded in 2009 in response to the bee crisis, The Bee Conservancy is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a clear mission: protecting bees, building habitat, and strengthening communities. Our donation goes toward three core programs:
- →Sponsor-A-Hive — places native bee homes and honey bee hives in underserved communities across North America, creating lasting local habitat and building beekeeping skills.
- →Habitat restoration — converts lawns and urban spaces into pollinator-friendly wildflower meadows and native gardens — practical, measurable, permanent.
- →Master Beekeeping Program — continuing education for mid-level beekeepers, improving hive health and building pathways to employment in the beekeeping industry.
The Bijenstichting (Dutch Bee Foundation) has been protecting wild bees and honey bees in the Netherlands since 2010. Their work focuses on three pillars: creating bee-friendly habitat corridors (bijenlinten) across the Dutch landscape, public education, and direct engagement with government policy on pesticides and agricultural land use.
15
years active
15,000+
followers
2,100+
active donors
Cannabis and bees — the connection isn't accidental
Cannabis is wind-pollinated, so bees don't directly pollinate cannabis plants. But outdoor and greenhouse cannabis growers exist within the same ecosystems that bees sustain. The companion plants growers use — basil, borage, lavender, calendula — are pollinator-dependent. The soil health that good growing depends on is supported by the same biodiversity that pollinators help maintain.
More directly: cannabis cultivation and bee conservation share the same enemy. Pesticide-heavy industrial agriculture destroys both. Growers who understand the ecosystem tend to make different choices. That's the culture we want to be part of.
We're not claiming growing cannabis saves the bees. We're saying that if you care enough to grow thoughtfully, you probably care enough to fund someone doing real habitat work. That connection felt honest.
Common questions
Do I pay more when I buy through CannabisGrower.ai?
No. The price you pay is identical to buying direct from the seed bank. Seed banks pay us a referral commission — typically 10–20% of your order value — as a standard part of their affiliate programs. We donate 10% of the commission we earn to bee conservation charities. Nothing extra comes out of your pocket.
Why bees specifically?
Cannabis cultivation relies on pollinators. Most outdoor and greenhouse grows depend on healthy local ecosystems — the same ones bees sustain. There's no self-congratulation in this; it's just a connection that made sense to us. Cannabis growers, more than most, understand that plants and ecosystems are linked.
Why these two organisations specifically?
We support two organisations based on where our customers are: The Bee Conservancy (US) for North American buyers, and the Bijenstichting (Netherlands) for European buyers. Both are focused, practical, and locally traceable — we prefer that over large international organisations where money disappears into overhead. Both have been operating for over a decade with measurable, on-the-ground results.
What does "10% of commission" actually mean in practice?
If you buy $100 worth of seeds and the seed bank pays us a 15% commission ($15), we donate $1.50 — 10% of that commission — to The Bee Conservancy (North America) or the Bijenstichting (Europe), based on where you are. That comes directly from our revenue. Every quarter we publish the exact figure: commission earned, amount donated, transfer receipt.
How do I know this is actually happening?
We're building a running counter on this page that will update quarterly with cumulative donation totals. When we reach our first donation milestone, we'll publish the transfer receipt. Transparency is the whole point.
What does The Bee Conservancy do with the money?
Donations go toward three programs: Sponsor-A-Hive, which places native bee homes and honey bee hives in underserved communities across North America; habitat restoration, converting urban spaces into pollinator-friendly wildflower gardens; and their Master Beekeeping Program, which trains mid-level beekeepers to improve hive health and build careers in the industry. They are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2009.
What does the Bijenstichting do with the money?
Their three pillars are: creating bee-friendly habitat corridors (bijenlinten) across the Netherlands, public education and awareness campaigns, and influencing Dutch government agricultural policy on pesticides and land use. They've been doing this since 2010 and have 2,100+ active donors. The money goes toward wild bee habitat — not honey production or managed hives.
Are wild bees actually in trouble, or is this just media hype?
The data is real. Managed honey bee colony losses in the US hit 55.6% between April 2024 and April 2025 — the highest since records began. Wild bee species are in worse shape: roughly 35% of native bee species in North America are at risk of extinction. Bumblebee populations have declined 46% in North America and 17% in Europe by occupied range. The European Food Safety Authority and multiple peer-reviewed studies point to the same drivers: pesticides (especially neonicotinoids), habitat loss, and the Varroa mite. This isn't hype.
What can I do beyond buying seeds?
Plant bee-friendly flowers in your garden or on your balcony — borage, phacelia, and lavender are all easy to grow and provide pollen throughout the season. Reduce or eliminate pesticide use. Support local beekeepers. If you're in North America, The Bee Conservancy (thebeeconservancy.org) has resources on habitat creation and their Sponsor-A-Hive program. If you're in Europe, the Bijenstichting (bijenstichting.nl) can help you create a bee-friendly garden or join a local corridor initiative.
Find your next strain. Support bee conservation.
Every commission we earn sends 10% to bee conservation — The Bee Conservancy in North America, the Bijenstichting in Europe. Published quarterly. No extra cost to you.