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Insuring Healthy Colonies: Exploring Beekeeper Participation in the Rainfall Index Apiculture Insurance Program

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  • Goodrich, Brittney
  • Penn, Jerrod

Abstract

Honey bee colonies play an vital role in global agricultural by providing essential pollination services, in addition to producing honey and other hive products. Colony productivity and health can be adversely affected by weather. We examine the characteristics of beekeepers who participate in the Rainfall Index Apiculture Insurance Program (RI-API), a subsidized insurance program offered by the USDA Risk Management Agency. We find that large operations with more colonies and those deriving a greater share of household income from beekeeping are more likely to enroll in RI-API. We find regional variation in enrollment: beekeepers pollinating almonds in the Sacramento Valley region of California and beekeepers transporting colonies to almonds from the southwestern U.S. are less likely to enroll than their counterparts. We also find evidence that beekeepers who are more risk averse are less likely to enroll, counter to standard economic theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Goodrich, Brittney & Penn, Jerrod, 2025. "Insuring Healthy Colonies: Exploring Beekeeper Participation in the Rainfall Index Apiculture Insurance Program," 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2025, Denver, CO 361150, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea25:361150
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.361150
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Brittney K. Goodrich & Jeffrey C. Williams & Rachael E. Goodhue, 2019. "The Great Bee Migration: Supply Analysis of Honey Bee Colony Shipments into California for Almond Pollination Services," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 101(5), pages 1353-1372, October.
    2. Brittney K Goodrich & Jeffrey C Williams & Rachael E Goodhue, 2019. "The Great Bee Migration: Supply Analysis of Honey Bee Colony Shipments into California for Almond Pollination Services," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 101(5), pages 1353-1372.
    3. Richard E. Just & Linda Calvin & John Quiggin, 1999. "Adverse Selection in Crop Insurance: Actuarial and Asymmetric Information Incentives," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 81(4), pages 834-849.
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    5. Luisa Menapace & Gregory Colson & Roberta Raffaelli, 2016. "A comparison of hypothetical risk attitude elicitation instruments for explaining farmer crop insurance purchases," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 43(1), pages 113-135.
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    7. Bond, Jennifer K. & Hitaj, Claudia & Smith, David & Hunt, Kevin & Perez, Agnes & Ferreira, Gustavo, "undated". "Honey Bees on the Move: From Pollination to Honey Production and Back," USDA Miscellaneous 312286, United States Department of Agriculture.
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