Bee theft is on the rise after beekeepers faced their highest nationwide losses in fourteen years.
Data from last year shows beekeepers are believed to have lost over 50% of their managed bee colonies.
The drop in numbers had led to some concern with demand for bees starting to peak in California’s almond-growing regions. Millions of bees are required to pollinate the trees which are mostly located in the San Joaquin Valley.
Last year, an estimated 3,600 hives were stolen in the area and that trend is expected to grow this year.
The California State Beekeepers Association has even launched a new theft prevention program, using air tags, marked bee boxes, and cameras.
Related Stories
CattleCon 2026 kicks off February 3 in Nashville. Kristin Torres with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association joined RFD-TV to share more about what’s ahead at this year’s event.
Elizabeth Strom of the American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers joined RFD-TV to provide the latest perspective on post-harvest business planning and cropland markets in the Midwest.
Mary-Thomas Hart, with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, discusses the latest WOTUS developments and their implications for agriculture.
Lower turkey and wheat prices helped ease Thanksgiving costs, but underlying farm-sector pressures remain significant.
New SDRP funding and expanded loss programs give producers additional tools to rebuild cash flow and stabilize operations after two years of severe weather losses.
The new WOTUS proposal narrows federal jurisdiction, restores key agricultural exclusions, and gives farmers clearer permitting rules after years of regulatory uncertainty.
