Program Board

A program board administers the MMBP. The MMBP trains and educates beekeepers on new techniques, equipment, potential problems, and tips and tricks to improve their beekeeping skills. Participants serve as bee ambassadors to beginning beekeepers, the public and their communities by teaching and serving as Midwest Master Beekeeper Program volunteers, and may later choose to work as paid independent consultants.

Members of the board provide training for program participants, develop educational materials used in the program, create certification exams, and oversee all logistical components of the program. The members of the board are:

  • Moneen Jones, entomologist and MMBP director; midwestmbcp@gmail.com
  • James Ellis, associate professor of entomology, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida; jdellis@ufl.edu
  • Robert Sears, apiarist and President, Eastern Missouri Beekeepers Association, root.sears@gmail.com
  • Sam Crowe, Missouri commercial beekeeper for 35 years; samcrowe61@gmail.com
  • Kelly Smith, Director Missouri Farm Bureau, kesmith@mofb.com
  • Gerald Hayes, Lead Entomologist, Beeologics, gerald.w.hayes.jr@monsanto.com
  • Neal Bergman, Commercial beekeeper for 35 years

The six levels of training and advancement in the Midwest Master Beekeeper Program are listed below, and their specific requirements can be found in the forms section of the website.

  • Beginning Beekeeper
  • Apprentice Beekeeper
  • Journeyman Beekeeper
  • Junior Master Beekeeper
  • Master Trainer Beekeeper
  • Certified Master Beekeeper