JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Megan Mahoney has been keeping bees for several years, operating during the winter in Texas and the summer in Jamestown.

“MaHoney Bees and Queens” focuses on raising queen bees for their operation. Mahoney says they do this in Southeast Texas and transport them to North Dakota in Summer.

North Dakota is the #1 honey-producing state in the nation. According to the state, bees produce over 38 million pounds of honey valued at over $71 million in 2018.

Mahoney believes that beekeeping is an “underrated crop” in the state.

Earlier this year, MaHoney Bees and Queens was one of 55 projects nationwide to receive funding from the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program.

Mahoney says with beekeeping, queen bees are the key part of hers and any beekeeping operation.

Mahoney’s project received $9,000 which will be used to breed bees designed for the commercial beekeeping industry to provide sustainable breeding stock using artificial insemination.

The goal of the project is to breed a heartier bee that can withstand some of the biggest conditions that are detrimental to the insect.

You can listen to a full Let’s Talk About It with Megan Mahoney below: