CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT
Requirements and General Information (TMBP Manual)
The Texas Master Beekeeper Program (TMBP) is a five-year (minimum) beekeeper training and certification program administered by the Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS) in association with the Texas Beekeepers Association. One must already be a beekeeper to enter the program (please see apprentice requirements, below). Currently, the TMBP is a completely self-study program using the suggested reading materials listed in the Program Requirements document as study materials. Entry into the program is attained by meeting the apprentice requirements and passing the apprentice examinations on exam day. There is no age limit for entry into the program although the examination may be too difficult for children under 12 years of age. All students must enter the program at the Apprentice Beekeeper level and no students are permitted to skip levels.
The program offers four levels of training and advancement: Apprentice Beekeeper, Advanced Beekeeper, Master Beekeeper, and Master Craftsman Beekeeper. All ranks take a minimum of one full year to complete with the exception of Master Level, which takes two years. Opportunities for advancement in the program only occur on exam days, upon meeting all the requirements for the level of advancement which one is trying to obtain.
The TMBP trains and educates beekeepers on new techniques, equipment, potential problems, and tips and tricks to improve their beekeeping skills. Perhaps most importantly, it keeps beekeepers around the state and country connected. TMBP participants serve as bee ambassadors to beginning beekeepers, the public, and our community, by teaching and serving as an extension of the Texas Beekeeper Association (TBA).
Examinations are held twice a year and all dates are announced on the TBA website (texasbeekeepers.org) and on the TAIS website (txbeeinspection.tamu.edu). Two examinations will be held each year, one in the spring and the other in the fall.
The training and examination day consists of two parts: material review and examinations. In the morning (8 am–12 pm) there are review lectures on important beekeeping topics and in the afternoon there are the written and practical examinations (2 pm–6 pm). The exam days are when Advanced, Master, and Master Craftsman Beekeepers submit their required documentation of public service work to the TMBP board. Additionally, we hold award ceremonies to recognize all those individuals who have passed the exam at that season’s respective conference.
If at any point you wish to discontinue the program, please contact a board member directly. Please also be sure to keep us informed of your current mailing address, email address, and phone number in case we need to contact you during your enrollment.
Please see the attached document for information regarding the apprentice level and the more advanced levels of the Texas Master Beekeeper Program. Click here for more information.
If you have any questions about the program, or you would like to be added to the Texas Master Beekeeper Program e-mail listserv, please contact the Texas Apiary Inspection Service using the “Give Us a Buzz” icon on the Home page or e-mailing tais@tamu.edu directly.
