The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has programs to help 

honey producers every step of the way — from plants to the final 

product. We have programs to help protect and conserve habitat, 

protect your investments and recover from disasters impacting 

your operation.

Assistance for Honey Producers

From Plants to Product

Pollinator Habitat Honey Production Your Business 
Assistance for Pollinator Habitat

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS) and the USDA Farm Service 

Agency (FSA) provide support through 

technical and financial assistance to provide 

safe and diverse food sources for honeybees.

For example, NRCS helps producers 

implement voluntary conservation practices 

such as planting cover crops, wildflowers and 

native grasses in buffers and areas not in 

production as well as improving management 

of grazing lands.

In total, more than three dozen NRCS 

conservation practices provide benefits 

to pollinators like honeybees. The

Environmental Quality Incentives Program 

(EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program 

(CSP) and Agricultural Conservation 

Easement Program (ACEP) provide 

assistance to help implement these practices. 

FSA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 

encourages farmers to convert highly erodible 

cropland or other environmentally sensitive 

acreage to vegetative cover. Both NRCS and 

FSA programs encourage producers to plant 

appropriate grasses, wildflowers, trees and 

shrubs to establish wildlife habitat, diverse 

pasture and rangelands, filter strips or 

riparian buffers. USDA conservation lands 

offer tremendous benefits to pollinators that 

require diverse floral blooms over the entire 

growing season as well as safe placement of 

honeybee colonies.

Assistance for Honeybees

FSA’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock, 

Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program 

(ELAP) covers colony losses, honeybee hive 

losses and honeybee feed losses in instances 

where these have been destroyed by an 
eligible natural disaster or, in the case of 

colony losses, because of Colony Collapse 

Disorder. Colony losses must be in excess of 

normal mortality. Eligible honeybees include 

bees housed in a managed hive and used 

for honey production, pollination or 

honeybee breeding.

Assistance for Honey

FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance 

Program (NAP) provides financial assistance 

to producers of table and non-table 

honey produced commercially for human 

consumption. Honey producers must apply 

for coverage and pay a service fee by the 

application closing date, which for honey 

is December 31 of the prior calendar year. 

Producers must timely file acreage (colony) 

reports and production records by reporting 

pounds of honey produced per colony of bees 

per crop year. 

Honey from eligible floral sources and 

meeting FSA’s storage requirements may be 

pledged as security for Marketing Assistance 

Loans (MAL). These short-term loans provide 

interim financing to allow you to sell your 

product when market conditions are more 

favorable. Alternatively, Loan Deficiency 

Payments (LDP) may be available in lieu of 

securing a MAL. The final loan availability date 

is March 31 following the crop year. 

Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFLs) provide 

low-interest financing for equipment and 

structures needed for you to store, handle 

and/or transport your honey. Examples of 

eligible equipment include:

• A storage building for harvested honey.

• Equipment to maintain and monitor the 

quality of stored honey.

• Portable storage containers, essential to 

the proper storage of honey.

• Bulk tanks suitable for storing honey. 

• Bottler systems for honey (excludes the 

honey containers).

• Equipment for moving honey, such as a 

forklift or hand truck.

Processing equipment, packing containers 

and storage space for bees or beehives are 

not eligible.
Assistance for Your Business

FSA offers direct and guaranteed loans to 

farmers and ranchers to promote, build and 

sustain family farms for a thriving agricultural 

economy. This includes farm operating 

and ownership loans. Youth loans are also 

available to those between the ages of 10 and 

20 years of age for up to $5,000. 

Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) 

provides a risk management safety net for all 

commodities on the farm under one insurance 

policy. The Apiculture Pilot Insurance 

Rainfall Index Program (API) provides a 

safety net for beekeepers’ primary income 

sources – honey, pollen collection, wax, and 

breeding stock. You can buy a WFRP or an API 

policy from a crop insurance agent by the sales 

closing date for your county. 

Don’t Forget

 Establish a farm number with FSA if 

you’re new to working with us. 

 Report your honeybee colonies to FSA 

by January 2 each year. These reports 

verify the existence of colonies and are 

essential to program participation.

 Notify FSA when a loss occurs to your 

colonies, hives, or honeybee feed.

 Talk to NRCS and FSA to see how we 

can establish or enhance pollinators on 

your operation.

 Ask your crop insurance agent 

about risk management options for 

your operation.

Working with Us

You can learn more about USDA 

assistance for honey producers at your 

local USDA Service Center. Find your 

local USDA Service Center at farmers.

gov/service-locator. If you’re new to 

working with us, check out farmers.gov/

newfarmers to learn how to get started. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.