The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship today encouraged Iowans interested in beekeeping to consider enrolling in one of the 38 beekeeping schools that will be held around the state in 2019. The courses are for both the beginner and advanced beekeeper.
?A great variety of beekeeping courses are available across the state, making beekeeping even more accessible to Iowans. Honeybees are an important and growing agricultural industry in Iowa, and it?s positive to see the increasing interest from farmers and landowners,? said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.
Early enrollment for many of these courses is important so courses can meet minimum enrollment numbers. Fees will vary by location. For more information, please refer to the IHPA website and online monthly newsletter at www.abuzzaboutbees.com or contact Andrew Joseph, State Apiarist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, at (515) 725-1481 or andrew.joseph@iowaagriculture.gov.
Please note that not all of these courses are sponsored by the Iowa Honey Producers Association, and the information presented by the instructors is not necessarily endorsed by the IHPA. Additionally, none of the courses are sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship and the information presented by the instructors is not necessarily endorsed by the Department.
There are currently about 4,500 beekeepers in Iowa that manage more than 45,000 colonies of honey bees. These honey bees produce about 4 million pounds of honey annually, valued at over $8 million. Honey bees are also responsible for the pollination of many Iowa crops. Field and horticultural crops, home gardens, and plants eaten by wildlife are dependent on bee pollination for the production of their fruits, nuts, and seeds. The economic value of honey bees as crop pollinators in Iowa has been estimated at $92 million annually.
