At Nate’s Honey Co., we take great pride in providing delicious, raw and unfiltered honey to families everywhere. But we also aim to create sustainable programs that protect our most important partners: honey bees. In recent years, honey production in the United States has declined. And there are global efforts to find out why and what we can do to help prevent further damage.

Honey is near and dear to our hearts, and we’re dedicated to working toward a world where honey bees are healthy and protected.

Honey Supply is on the Decline

Despite more people discovering the benefits of raw and unfiltered honey, honey production is still declining in the United States. USDA reports that honey production is down 49 percent in the last 20 years. One of the main contributing factors to honey production decline is a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). CCD means that the majority of worker bees abandon the hive, and this has impacted the health of beehives in the last decade. The good news is in recent years, the number of hives lost to CCD was down 27 percent with commercial beekeepers, but we still have a long way to go. We’ve committed to working with responsible beekeepers who work to support bee populations and keep hives healthy.

Nature Nate’s Goes Beyond the Bottle

Research is critical in keeping honey bee hives healthy and staying ahead of health concerns like CCD. To support and protect the honey bee population, there are many initiatives we work with including:

• The National Honey Board and the American Honey Producers Association to push for good, clean honey and contribute to bee health research.
• Partnering with established research institutions like University of Georgia, Cornell University and University of Texas at Dallas. We invest in the future of bee health to understand and correct the causes of bee health decline and CCD.
• Working with trustworthy beekeepers that share our vision to protect and take care of bees and their hives. We offer free testing to ensure bees are not exposed to commonly used pesticides or antibiotics.
• Implementing sustainable practices like only using recyclable materials like BPA-free bottles that are 100% recyclable, and using shipping boxes made from 100% recycled materials.
• Maintaining a rigorous testing process and industry certifications like USDA Certified Organic. View all our certifications here.
• Working with communities in the Amazon where we donate hives and teach locals about sustainable beekeeping. This includes how to properly care for the bees in order to sustain food sources through continued pollination. Learn more about our Honey Gives Hope Amazon Rainforest initiative.

Keeping Hives Healthy

Bees do so much for our planet. And we believe in doing our part to keep hives healthy and bee populations thriving. With help from our partners and by using sustainable practices, we aim to make a positive impact on the future of honey bee health. Read more about Long Live the Bees, our efforts for honey bee health, and why choosing an orange label means you’re choosing quality honey and healthy bees.