Industry Letter to Secretary Rollins
American Honey Producers Association
PO Box 12, Grand Haven, MI 49417
February 15, 2025
The Honorable Brooke Rollins
Secretary of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Dear Secretary Rollins,
The American Honey Producers Association is submitting these 33 letters on behalf of
our members and U.S. beekeepers. The attached letters from beekeepers who have
recently lost most of their honey bee colonies (livestock) highlight the impact on them,
their employees, and their families.
Please review these letters which outline the losses faced by commercial beekeepers,
who on average have suffered an estimated 65% loss of their colonies since June of
2024. Each colony is valued at $200-$250 and according to the NASS Honey Report,
generated an average income of $236 per colony in 2023. Our industry losses will be
greater than 1.2 million colonies which translates to more than $525 million, in dead
colonies and subsequent lost income in 2025 alone.
Before CCD, annual losses were under 15% on average, but since 2011, commercial
beekeepers have lost an average of 40.3% of their colonies each year
(https://apiaryinspectors.org/US-beekeeping-survey). Our industry has had an
estimated loss of between 1-1.6 million colonies in the past 9 months alone, and it
cannot rebuild all those colonies in one season. It takes each operation 2-3 years of low
losses to recover from such a significant loss if they can even afford to rebuild. These
operations are often family farming businesses, many of which span second or third
generations as honey or pollination farms. Beekeepers will require substantial support
to recover from these losses.
Farming, including the beekeeping industry, is part of what built this great nation. A
healthy and profitable beekeeping and pollination industry is crucial to the health of our
food supply, as honeybees play a vital role in pollinating more than 130 crops. I like to
say that the beekeeping and pollination industry leaves a bigger footprint on agriculture
than our shoe size. Our $700 million industry holds a disproportionate yet crucial place
in the $60 billion specialty crop sector of agriculture. Consider the impact on the other
agricultural sectors that are at risk if our industry cannot rebuild or collapses? Given
the situation, it is crucial that the USDA provides
immediate disaster relief funds to help beekeepers recover. Additionally, there is a
need for comprehensive USDA research into honeybee health to understand and
address the causes of these losses, which is essential for the long-term sustainability of
the beekeeping industry.
We request a meeting, next week, if possible, to discuss both short and long-term
resources needed for the beekeeping industry. This includes exploring ways to enhance
support for beekeepers beyond current programs, such as an indemnity support
program.
Additionally, we would like to discuss methods to streamline the payout system for the
Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP), making it more efficient and userfriendly,
ensuring timely financial assistance for beekeepers.
Thank you for your attention to this issue. We look forward to the opportunity to meet
and discuss how to support the beekeeping industry and ensure the health of our
nation’s honey bee populations.
Sincerely,
Steven Coy
President
American Honey Producers Association
PO Box 12
Grand Haven, MI 49417
stevencoy@ahpanet.com
601-530-6440
WEBSITE
ahpanet.com
PHONE
281-900-9740
EMAIL
info@ahpanet.com
PRESIDENT
Steven Coy
601-530-6430
stevencoy@ahpanet.com
VICE PRESIDENT
Scott Hamilton
208-250-5344
scott@ahpanet.com
TREASURER
Doug Hauke
715-676-2110
doug@ahpanet.com
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Anne Marie Fauvel
616-566-2576
annemarie@ahpanet.com
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Wesley Card
978-210-1893
Wesley@ahpanet.com
Matt Halbgewachs
512-740-8610
matt@ahpanet.com
Ryan Lamb
612-382-5935
ryan@ahpanet.com
Theodore Miksa
352-429-9133
theodore@ahpanet.com
Robert Morlock
701-361-8926
bob@ahpanet.com
PAST PRESIDENT
Chris Hiatt
559-232-2494
chrishiatt@ahpanet.com
Click here to view letter: Industry letter to Secretary Rollins Final
