Minnesota Seeing Drastic Die-off in Bee Population

(Minneapolis, MN) — Minnesota’s bee population has seen a significant die off in recent years, worrying beekeepers and experts alike. U of M Extension Coordinator Rebecca Masterman says in 1988, Minnesota produced over 20 million pounds of honey, but last year they produced less than 7 million. Masterman says there’s great concern that this drastic bee die-off will cause commercial beekeepers to leave the business. Nationwide, between June 2024 and March 2025, commercial beekeepers lost an average of 62% of their colonies, the largest U.S. die-off on record. Minnesota is the nation’s fifth largest honey producer.