MADISON, Wis. (WSAW) – Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agriculture industry consisting of various producers and farmers has another category of small-but-mighty workers that also help keep our agriculture industry thriving: the honey bee.

According to DATCP, in 2022, Wisconsin ranked 11th in the nation for honey production. With approximately 53,000 honey-producing hives in the state, Wisconsin produced nearly 3 million pounds of honey, making Wisconsin honey an $8.86 million industry.

Honey bees do much more than just produce a delicious product, they’re also pollinators that play an essential role in the growth of various produce crops in the state. Many of our foods are partially or fully reliant on insect pollinators to produce fruit, including cranberries, apples, strawberries, and tomatoes.

Through state statutes, DATCP oversees the state’s beekeeping industry and monitoring for the detection and eradication of honey bee pests and diseases. In addition, the department regulates the import of honey bees and beekeeping equipment into the state. Through the Pollinator Protection Plan which DATCP first developed in 2016, the department also educates and empowers homeowners, gardeners, farmers, and pesticide applicators to do what they can to protect pollinators, our food supply, and our agricultural economy.

“DATCP staff work to promote honey bee health, from providing certificates to seasoned commercial beekeepers so they can transport their bees to other states for crop pollination to hobbyists just getting started who need advice,” Brian Kuhn, Director of DATCP’s Plant Industry Bureau recently stated. “We also reach out to beekeepers from out-of-state seeking to bring bees to Wisconsin to ensure import requirements are met.”

DATCP also supports the beekeeping industry by employing an Apiary Program Coordinator and two other inspectors devoted solely to the state’s apiary industry and hobbyists. Apiary program staff provide free seasonal inspections, pest and disease diagnostic services, and educational outreach for over 250 honey producers and commercial pollinators each year.