The Georgia Master Beekeeper Program is an intensive four-step program designed to provide participants the opportunity to increase their knowledge about all things dealing with bees and beekeeping. This program allows participants to learn and also teach others about beekeeping and promote the industry. It also helps establish the participant as an authority and an educational resource in his or her community.

• Certified Beekeeper: Individual should be familiar with the basic skills and knowledge necessary for the beginning hobby beekeeper (see Certified requirements).
• Journeyman Beekeeper: Individual should be functioning as a competent hobby beekeeper with the skills and knowledge for moving into sideline beekeeping if desired (see Journeyman requirements).
• Master Beekeeper: Individual should be able to function as a sideline or commercial beekeeper. Can also demonstrate knowledge in such areas as bee botany, business aspects of beekeeping, honey and bee-related judging, bee behavior, and other specialty areas (see Master requirements).
• Master Craftsman Beekeeper: Individual should have general knowledge of all relevant areas of beekeeping as well as be a specialist in one or more selected topics. Level is comparable to a graduate program in apiculture at a major U.S. university (see Master Craftsman requirements).

As of 2024, numerous beekeepers have participated in this program, with over 1,000 achieving the Certified level, 45 Journeyman, 45 Master, and five Master Craftsmen.

Apiculture is an 80 million dollar industry in Georgia, including honey, hive products, and pollination. Pollination by Georgia bees helps ensure a bountiful harvest of the state's 700 million dollar fruit and vegetable crop. Through their work as lecturers, TV and radio guests, newspaper and magazine article authors, and local authorities, Georgia Master Beekeepers remain the public educators and ambassadors that keep beekeeping at center stage of public discourse and policy.

To participate in the Master Beekeeping Program you must attend the Young Harris Beekeeping Institute, held annually in late spring on the campus of Young Harris College in Young Harris, GA. Individualized instruction is provided through a series of classroom lectures and hands-on workshops by experts in the field of beekeeping.

Advanced lectures for registered and validated candidates for the Journeyman and Master Beekeeper certification levels take place on the Thursday morning preceding the Institute Proper (Friday and Saturday).

Training and certification for the Certified Beekeeper level are incorporated into the Institute Proper schedule on Friday and Saturday and highlighted in the official Program (the less-experienced beekeepers' track).

NOTE: The Institute coursework (Thursday, Friday, or Saturday) is not designed to prepare candidates for taking the exams, but is tailored to help those who are already prepared for the exams to focus on the most important information and have a better experience; another facet of the curriculum, since it takes place only once a year, is to serve as a foundation for preparation for the next level of the program, as well.

Programs and registration information is available at the Young Harris Beekeeping Institute website and also at UGA Cooperative Extension county offices.

Options for the Georgia Master Beekeeping Certified Testing

The UGA Bee Lab had to make a very tough decision earlier this year to close the Young Harris Beekeeping Institute. But, that doesn't mean the Georgia Master Beekeeping program is being dissolved. Several clubs across Georgia will offer testing for the certified level. Then this September at the Georgia Beekeepers Association Fall meeting, the UGA Bee Lab crew will offer not only certified level testing but also Journeyman and Master levels as well.

For general questions concerning the Georgia Master Beekeeping program, please contact Jennifer Berry.
For questions concerning locations and timing of the testing, please contact the associations directly.   

• Certified Only: Metro Area Beekeepers Association, Academe of the Oaks (146 New St. Decatur, GA, 30030): May 6th
• Certified Only: Chattahoochee Valley Beekeepers Association, Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center: Saturday, May 20th, 1 p.m.
  
• Certified Only: Tri-County: Lanier Bee Barn (742 Lords Mill Rd, Commerce, GA 30529), May 21^st at 9 a.m.
• Certified, Journeyman & Master: Georgia Beekeepers Association Fall Meeting, Lanier Technical College, Gainsville, Georgia: Sept. 21st, 9 a.m.