Bear damage to hives added to Wildlife Damage Compensation Program

Jun 06, 2023

Bears can do significant damage to a beehive, tearing them apart in a search for bees and honey. As a result, Agriculture Financial Services (AFSC) is conducting a three-year bear damage to hives pilot project as part of the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program.

Starting May 1, eligible beekeepers will be able to make claims for losses to honey, bee colonies and beehive equipment between May 1 and October 31. To be eligible for coverage, beekeepers must have an active beekeeper registration and a minimum of 100 hives.

Claims will be paid at 80 per cent of losses based on the following coverage amounts for the 2023 crop year:

$275 per hive for lost bee colonies
$125 per hive for replacement of damaged boxes and frames
$6.173/kg for honey, with the assumption that 50 per cent of the honey will have been recollected by non-impacted hives

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Video: Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard

On Friday, April 24, 2026, from 12 noon–1:00 ET, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), presented this webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law Educational Series, a course designed to develop subject matter literacy and competence on fundamental issues of agricultural law for attorneys and business advisors who work with or represent agricultural or rural clients but may not necessarily specialize in agricultural law:

“Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard”

The Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program requires transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, or advanced biofuels. Established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and later expanded by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS is implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This webinar provides an overview of the legal authority and structure for the RFS program and explain how it works, including the program’s system of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) and categories of renewable fuels. Additionally, this webinar addresses EPA annual volume requirement rulemaking and associated recent legal issues.