Melania Trump announced that the White House honey program will grow with the addition of a new beehive shaped like the White House, continuing a beekeeping effort already operating on the south grounds. The White House said the existing hives, which have been there since 2009, can reach roughly 70,000 bees during peak summer months and produce between 200 and 225 pounds of honey each year. The White House also said the new hive is expected to increase production by about 30 pounds.
The announcement came just before a diplomatic week with major ceremonial events in Washington. Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla were expected to arrive for a four-day state visit that includes an elaborate White House state dinner on Tuesday hosted by President Donald Trump and the first lady.
The White House said Charles and Camilla both support beekeeping. The king keeps at least three beehives at Highgrove House, their private residence southwest of Tetbury in Gloucestershire, England, as part of what the palace described as support for the environment and sustainability. The White House also said the queen is a patron of Bees for Development, a charity that promotes the role of bees in sustainable development worldwide.
According to the White House, the bees’ clover honey is used in meals, provided as official gifts from the president and first lady, and donated in contributions to food kitchens. The program is also tied to pollination efforts around the complex, including a produce garden that then-first lady Michelle Obama started in 2009, a nearby flower cutting garden, and vegetation on the National Mall.
The White House said beekeeping on the complex began after a White House carpenter started beekeeping as a hobby. The new hive, it said, was funded through the Trust for the National Mall, and the hive and its base were designed by White House residence staff and handmade by a Virginia artisan.