First Lady Melania Trump has expanded the White House honey program by adding a new beehive shaped like the White House to the South Lawn. The addition includes two new bee colonies, doubling the existing apiary's workforce. The new hive, designed by White House staff and crafted by a Virginia artisan, is expected to increase annual honey production by approximately 30 pounds, bringing the total yield to 230 to 255 pounds per year. The bees will continue to pollinate the White House Kitchen Garden, the Flower Cutting Garden, and nearby vegetation on the National Mall.
The honey produced is used in the White House kitchen, as official gifts, and for donations to local food kitchens. The program, which began in 2009 as a hobby by a White House carpenter, has been formalized and expanded under Melania Trump's leadership. During peak summer months, the hives can house up to 70,000 bees. The new hive was funded by the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit partner of the National Park Service.