Overview of UT and TDA Apiculture Assistance
The UT Institute of Agriculture and the TN Department of Ag (TDA) work together to support the beekeeping industry in TN. This chart summarizes some of the responsibilities under each agency. Links for county Extension offices and TDA can be found below the chart.
Click HERE to find your county office. *Just click on your county and then “About Us” to get the list of staff – please email your Agriculture and Natural Resources agent(s).
TDA Office of the State Apiarist (Mike Studer) (*For assistance with basic inspections, contact your local beekeeping club to see if they have a local inspector or mentor who can help you. Regional or state-level inspections are required for regulatory services such as permits.) Apiary registration is handled by TDA (not UT) – please send correspondence related to registration to TDA.
TN Ag Enhancement Program (TAEP) This cost-share program supports TN beekeepers who have at least five years of experience and 15 or more hives – beekeeping has challenges but this program is great motivation to try to stick with it and plan to grow your hobby into a production. Honey bees fall under Application B (haha!) for Producer Diversification. *The application period for 2021 has passed, but you can still check out the website until 2022 application materials come out in the summer of 2022, with applications likely due the in early October. Questions? Please contact producer.diversification@tn.gov
TDA pesticide information – please call (615) 837-5148 for assistance with a suspected pesticide-related bee kill. Time is of the essence due to the short window of opportunity for an investigation so this is the first call to make.
TDA Food Safety – if you pack or sell more than 150 gallons of honey per year, you must be licensed and inspected by the State of TN as a food manufacturing facility. Contact TDA Consumer and Industry Services Division at (615) 837-5153 for more information.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for EVENTS
Swarm Season IS HERE – Bee Ready!
We are nearing the time of year when honey bee colonies reproduce by dividing and swarming. Generally, around 50-75% of the adult bee population and the old queen leave and find a temporary site (often times a tree branch), where they will hang out while some individual bees go scouting for permanent nesting sites. A collective decision is made and the swarm takes flight for the permanent location, where the colony will be established. If you are a homeowner, who sees a cluster of bees, please contact your local beekeeping association to have a local beekeeper collect the swarm. Many of the local beekeeping associations have a swarm catcher list on their websites. You can also try contacting your county Extension office. It is always helpful if you have photos (to confirm they are actually honey bees and not yellowjackets, paper wasps, or another type of stinging insect) and have exact location information.
UT Master Beekeeping Program
Classes are coordinated by the State Apiculturist (Dr. Jennifer Tsuruda) and put on in cooperation with county Extension offices.
Do not be confused by the name – there are no prerequisites for this Basic Level class and you will learn skills to help you be a successful beekeeper. Please note that if you intend to take the Advanced class in the future, the Basic Level class is a prerequisite. This class is intended for participants aged 16 and over; younger youth are encouraged to participate in their county Extension 4-H Beekeeping and Entomology Program.
If your Oct 2021 TN Ag Enhancement Program proposal was approved and you have not taken a TN MBP course or your previous certificate was issued before 2018, you will need to take the 2022 TN MBP course series to receive the additional cost-share. Please see the TAEP/Producer Diversification websites and email contact (above) for more information about the dates and requirements.
2022 classes are all in-person. The cost per person is $125 and is NON-REFUNDABLE and NON-TRANSFERABLE.
Due to overwhelming interest, the offerings below are all Basic classes. They qualify for TAEP and provide opportunities for even experienced beekeepers to learn and increase productivity and advancement.
May 5-6: Van Buren County – Spencer, TN
May 12-13: Madison County – Jackson, TN
May 26-27: Blount County – Maryville, TN
June 23-24: Fentress County – Jamestown, TN
July 14-15: Washington County – Jonesborough, TN
July 21-22: Maury County – Spring Hill, TN
*all classes are 8:30am-5:00pm, local time, each day
**Registration closes one week before the start of each class. UPDATE: All classes have met the minimum registration number so all classes are on!!!
–> REGISTER HERE: tiny.utk.edu/mbp_basic.
Please note that the online registration system is the ONLY way to register for the class – walk-in registrations will not be accepted. If a class is not listed from the pull-down menu, the class is full or has passed, but you can fill out the Interest Form (below) to be notified if a seat opens up or when the next set of classes are announced. Carefully read through the registration page and thoroughly check the information you enter is correct – especially your email address. You will receive an email confirmation from the emarketplace after you have successfully registered.
*The Monday or Tuesday before class, registered participants will receive an email with logistical information – please check your spam/junk/quarantine/etc. folders. Questions about the classes should be directed to the county agent organizing the class (contact information is listed on the registration website) and questions about technical issues with the registration site should be directed to emarketplace@utk.edu.
Please fill out this INTEREST FORM to be informed of future class offerings. Advanced or additional classes may be offered if interest and schedules allow – no guarantees for 2022. Reminder: the Basic class is a prerequisite for the Advanced class.
When classes are developed, they are posted on this UT Apiculture website and EPP’s Facebook site, as well as shared with those who fill out the Interest Form, county Extension offices, and the TN Beekeepers Association. If you hear talk about classes from others, always check this official website to verify.
*as of 4-1-22 at 12:49pm ET all of the above have been notified of the current 2022 classes and registration.
Please also consider attending a free, online beekeeping series to continue learning about bees and beekeeping! UT Apiculture is proud to be a part of this collaborative and diverse team! We want to make sure bee clubs and beekeepers do not feel obligated to hold in-person monthly meetings so now beekeepers (and bee enthusiasts) from around the world can tune in and continue their beekeeping education from the safety and comfort of their homes. *Note: this series does not qualify for TAEP.
If Zoom registration is full, you can still watch via the Lawrence County Extension Facebook page (no registration needed – just go to the site a few minutes before 6:30pm Central Time)! Presentations will also be posted on the Facebook site for 2 weeks in case you missed it live or want to watch the presentation again. Please do not take screenshots or copy any slides.
