If you’ve been thinking of getting bees to help your garden or to produce honey, you can apply for a free beehive. Virginia agriculture officials offer the hives as a way to help support declining bee populations.
In his career as the state apiarist, Keith Tignor has watched as bees continue dying. “Back in the 1980s we started getting some pests and diseases that directly affected the honeybees,” Tignor said.
They noticed that bumblebees and butterflies were also affected. “We know that our pollinator populations, not just the honeybee, are declining,” Tignor explained.
Crops like cucumbers, beans and blueberries depend on pollinating insects to produce the food we eat.
“It is essential that we have those pollinators,” said Tignor.
As a way to help bring these numbers up, in 2013, the Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services started offering grants to reimburse people for buying beehives. They switched to what’s known as the beehive distribution program, and now give away 1000 beehives each year. Tignor says last year there were over five thousand applicants across Virginia.
Sales from “protect pollinator” license plates fund the program.
Applicants will be randomly selected and will need to purchase their own bees and maintain their hives.
“Management of them is just like any farm animal, livestock [or] pet,” Tignor said. “That does take some knowledge of what their needs are and what management they need to maintain their health and their production.”
Tignor notes they should also follow any local ordinance rules for beekeeping. Applicants can request up to three hives.
Applications are due September 10, and participants will be randomly selected.
You can find more information at the VDACS website.
