Beginning Farmers and Beekeeping
Building Knowledge, Skills, and Capacity for Farm Diversification in the Northeast.
About the Project
The Beginning Farmers and Beekeeping Project, led by the López-Uribe Lab at Penn State University, supports beginning farmers interested in exploring beekeeping as part of their agricultural operations.
Through beekeeping education, hands-on training, equipment, and ongoing technical assistance, the project helps farmers develop the skills to manage honey bee colonies and evaluate opportunities for farm diversification through honey production, pollination, and other bee-related products.
Over three years, the project aims to support 105 beginning farmers across Pennsylvania and the Northeast, with approximately 35 participants joining each year.
How Does the Program Work?
Selected participants will receive:
1. Beekeeping education: Online modules or approved local courses covering honey bee biology, equipment, seasonal management, and colony health.
2. Hands-on training: Field workshops to practice essential beekeeping and colony management skills.
3. Honey bee colonies and equipment: Support to establish and manage two honey bee colonies.
4. Ongoing support: Seasonal guidance, technical assistance, peer-learning opportunities, and connections with local beekeeping organizations.
5. Financial assistance: Support to help reduce travel and other participation-related costs.
Who Can Participate?
The program is open to individuals who are planning to begin farming or have operated a farm for no more than 10 years and are interested in introducing beekeeping into their farming activities.
The project particularly encourages beginning farmers with limited financial resources to express interest, although limited-resource status is not required for participation.
Interested in Participating?
The program will enroll three groups of participants:
- Cohort 1: January 2027
- Cohort 2: January 2028
- Cohort 3: January 2029
If you are interested, please complete our Participation Interest Form. The form collects basic information about your farming background and preferred year of participation:
Submitting the form does not guarantee selection. The project team will review submissions and contact potential participants about next steps.
Project Partners and Funding
This project is led by the López-Uribe Lab at Penn State University. The project is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). Funding supports farmer education, hands-on training, beekeeping equipment, honey bee colonies, and technical assistance..
