First Lady Melania Trump announced the expansion of the White House honey program on Friday with the installation of a new, fully functioning beehive on the South Lawn. The hand-crafted hive, modeled after the White House by a local artisan, adds two new bee colonies to the existing two that produce signature White House honey.
.@FLOTUS @MELANIATRUMP announced the expansion of the @WhiteHouse honey program with the addition of a newly installed and fully functioning beehive on the South Lawn.
Hand-crafted by a local artisan in the image of the White House, the beautiful, new hive will add two new bee… pic.twitter.com/5lJpdzXcRY
— Office of the First Lady (@FirstLadyOffice) April 24, 2026
The announcement highlights ongoing efforts to support pollinators amid national concerns over bee colony losses. Managed honey bee colonies in the U.S. have faced significant annual mortality rates in recent years, with beekeepers reporting losses that challenge pollination services for agriculture.
The White House beehive program dates back to 2009, when the first hive was installed on the South Lawn during the Obama administration to pollinate the Kitchen Garden and produce honey for White House use. That initial hive, managed by White House carpenter Charlie Brandts, contained around 70,000 bees and produced honey used in meals and as gifts.
Bees play a critical role in food production. Honey bees pollinate more than 130 types of fruits, nuts, and vegetables in the United States, contributing an estimated $15 billion in crop value annually, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Globally, pollinators support about one-third of food production by volume, with three-quarters of crop types depending on them to some extent.
U.S.-managed honey bee colony numbers have declined from around 5 million in the 1940s to approximately 2.7 million in recent years, per USDA data. Annual losses have often exceeded 40% over the past decade, driven by factors such as parasites like varroa mites, though beekeepers add colonies to maintain overall numbers.
In Texas, which ranks among the top states for honey bee colonies with nearly 271,000 according to USDA census data, losses have been particularly severe. Commercial beekeepers reported approximately 61-67% colony losses during 2024-2025, with surveys indicating 60,000 to 80,000 colonies lost in a recent assessment. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has noted record declines, with varroa mites and environmental stressors cited as key issues.
Texas is also home to over 800 native bee species, contributing to local pollination alongside managed honey bees.
