The North Carolina Master Beekeeper Program
As of July 1, 2011, the NCSU Apiculture Program and Cooperative Extension will no longer be directly involved in the NC Master Beekeeper Program. Due to budget cuts, the MBP itself is no longer sanctioned or subsidized by Cooperative Extension or our program. We're currently working with the NC State Beekeepers Association to try and restructure the MBP so that it is entirely delivered through the NCSBA. Please contact them for additional details.
**********************************
The N. C. Master Beekeeper Program (MBP) is the largest program of its kind in the country. Established in the fall of 1982, its purpose is to provide an infrastructure whereby beekeepers can improve their beekeeping skills and knowledge on a continuous basis within a system that objectively and formally acknowledges those accomplishments. It also serves as a means of providing valuable information to beekeepers and the public through various outreach services.
The MBP consists of four ascending levels of beekeeping expertise. The Certified level is the entry level of the program for participants with basic knowledge of honey bees and bee management. The Journeyman level are beekeepers with demonstrated competence in the craft. The Master level beekeeper should be able to function as a sideline or commercial beekeeper, if he or she desires, and have some expertise in several sub-specialties of apiculture. The Master Craftsman level is the highest attainable in the program, and is reserved only for those participants who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, public service, and honey bee management skills.
Each successive level requires that certain minimum criteria be met, which are summarized below.
| Tests | Service and Experience | |||||
| Level | Written | Practical | Oral | Beekeeping Experience | Public Service | Other |
| Certified | X | X | - | - | - | - |
| Journeyman | X | X | - | 2 years | 5 units | - |
| Master | X | X | - | 3 years | 10 units | 1 |
| Master Craftsman | X | X | X | 2 years at Master level | 15 units | 1,2,3 |
1 = Demonstrate expertise in sub-specialty;
2 = Present a program at an NCSBA annual meeting;
3 = Participate in an NCSU-sponsored research project
The purpose of the program is to increase simultaneously the breadth and depth of knowledge within each of these areas, and to reflect that understanding back to other beekeepers and the public. Participants are objectively assessed and recognized for these valuable endeavors. To enroll in this free program, or to gain more information on the N. C. MBP, call your local county extension agent, NCDA inspector, or visit the following web site: http://www.ncbeekeepers.org/master.htm
