A Bad Year for Bees Gets Worse as Trump’s Tariffs Hit Canada’s Honey Belt

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-06T15:35:23.473Z • Permanent link

Alberta's apiarists are bracing for a bitter blow from the perfect storm of President Trump's trade war and relentless rainfall. The usually bountiful honey harvests in Canada's Honey Belt, which spans the prairies of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, are facing unprecedented challenges. Canada's honey production, valued at over $100 million annually, is under threat from the relentless wet weather and tariffs imposed by the US president. The impact is being felt across the entire supply chain, from beekeepers to distributors and ultimately, to consumers.

Data from Environment and Climate Change Canada reveals that 2022 was the wettest year on record for Alberta, with over 1,000 mm of precipitation, 300 mm more than the 1981-2010 average. This has resulted in widespread crop damage, including wheat, barley, and canola, which are all major components of the Canadian economy. However, the bees are also suffering, with honey production down by 20% in the past year, according to the Canadian Honey Council. The council's CEO, Randy Brown, is sounding the alarm, stating that "the bees are struggling to survive due to the harsh weather conditions and lack of nectar sources.

The situation is further complicated by the ongoing trade war between the US and Canada. The US tariffs imposed on Canadian honey, worth around $20 million annually, are expected to have a devastating impact on the industry. The Canadian government has vowed to fight the tariffs, but so far, no resolution has been reached. The US Department of Agriculture has stated that the tariffs are necessary to protect American beekeepers from competition from Canadian honey, which they claim is being unfairly subsidized by the Canadian government.

The impact of this perfect storm on the Canadian honey industry will have far-reaching consequences for the research communities, markets, and policy environments. The Canadian Honey Council is a major player in the research community, providing critical data and insights on honey production, bee health, and pollination. The loss of honey production will not only affect the livelihoods of beekeepers but also impact the research community's ability to study the importance of pollinators. Moreover, the Canadian market is a significant player in the global honey trade, with exports worth millions of dollars annually.

The Canadian government has also taken a keen interest in the situation, with the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Jean-Yves Duclos, stating that "the Canadian honey industry is an important part of our agricultural sector, and we will do everything in our power to support it." The government has pledged to work with the industry to find solutions to the challenges facing the Canadian honey industry, including the impact of the trade war and climate change.

The situation in Alberta is not unique, and other regions around the world are facing similar challenges. In the US, beekeepers are also struggling due to the harsh weather conditions and lack of nectar sources. In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of Apicultural Research found that bee populations in the US have declined by 30% over the past decade. This decline is not limited to the US, however, with bee populations also declining in Europe and other parts of the world.