Organic colony management practices are profitable for backyard beekeepers

Management practice decisions are critical for maintaining honey bee, Apis mellifera L., colony health, and the profitability of beekeeping operations. These practices vary with the goals and the size of the beekeeping operations, particularly regarding the type and frequency of pest management strategies used. However, the impact of these practices on the profitability of the operations has rarely been quantified. Here, we compare the impact of 3 honey bee colony management systems (chemical-free, conventional, and organic) on the profitability of small stationary honey-and-bee-producing beekeeping operations. Over the 3 yr of the study, we found that the operations using the chemical-free management system had economic losses, while the operations using the conventional or organic management system generated revenue. Honey production and bee production were highest in the organic and conventional management systems resulting in profits that were 14 and 11 times higher than in the chemical-free management system, respectively. Numerically, honey production was 50% higher in operations using an organic management system than in operations using a conventional management system in year 3. Across systems, the first year of the beekeeping operation required the highest economic inputs, but their costs for the second and third years were significantly lower. Our results provide evidence that active parasitic mite control within colonies is critical for the profits of small-scale stationary beekeeping operations and that organic management is a profitable, long-term system for stationary beekeepers.