UW–Madison Beekeeping Short Course

Category: Learning Also called: University of Wisconsin–Madison Beekeeping Short Course; UW Beekeeping Short Course; FISC Beekeeping Short Course; Wisconsin Pollinators beekeeping short course Last checked: 2026-10-01

What it is

The UW–Madison Beekeeping Short Course is a first-party University of Wisconsin–Madison beekeeping education course run through the UW–Madison Department of Entomology in collaboration with the UW Farm and Industry Short Course (FISC) and the Wisconsin Honey Producers Association (WHPA), with support noted from a Wisconsin DATCP grant. Its official FISC page (fisc.cals.wisc.edu/offerings/uw-beekeeping-short-course) and Wisconsin Pollinators mirror (pollinators.wisc.edu) describe a multi-day in-person course on building and growing a beekeeping business—covering basic practices and bee biology, disease and year-round hive management, business/financial planning, marketing of honey and wax products, product-line expansion/regulations, and USDA programs for beekeepers. It is not a county club and not a hive-equipment retail shop.

Who it’s for

Would-be and early-career beekeepers—and sideline keepers ready to scale—who want a fee-printed university short course in Madison, Wisconsin. Printed tuition is $350 early / $400 regular for general registration ($150 early / $200 regular for students). The next offering on the check date runs Friday, February 5 – Saturday, February 6, 2027. Not a substitute for a local club meeting or for buying woodenware.

Why it’s listed

This is a first-party Learning program with printed dollar tuition and early-bird / student tiers, a dated February 2027 two-day window, named contact (Dr. Hannah Gaines Day), Madison campus / program contact block on the Pollinators site, lunch-and-snacks inclusion, and clear Entomology + FISC + WHPA presentation credit. It is curriculum- and fee-first, not a blog and not an affiliate landing page. It was previously held as a Learning alternate behind nearer-dated offerings; it remains a strong fee/date university short course.

• Course format & schedule (FISC + Pollinators pages, checked 2026-10-01): Friday, Feb. 5 – Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027, Madison, WI. Schedule at a glance: Friday 9:00am–5:00pm plus reception 5:00pm–6:00pm; Saturday 9:00am–5:00pm. Lunch and snacks provided both days. Topics listed: basic beekeeping practices and bee biology; disease management and sustainable year-round hive management; business and financial planning (including insurance/liability); marketing and supply-chain access for honey and wax; expanding product lines (regulations/insurance for non-honey products); USDA programs overview.
• Fees & registration windows (same pages, checked 2026-10-01): General: $350 early / $400 regular; Students: $150 early / $200 regular. “Register before Jan. 5, 2027 to receive early bird pricing. Prices increase on Jan. 6, 2027 and registration closes Feb. 1, 2027.” Pollinators page: “Registration is now open!” Lodging: a nearby hotel room block is planned; details closer to the course date.
• Instructors / contact & campus (FISC + Pollinators, checked 2026-10-01): Questions / accommodations — Hannah Gaines Day, [email protected]. Pollinators Contact Us block: 1575 Linden Dr, 561 Moore Hall, Madison, WI 53706; [email protected]. Presented by UW–Madison Department of Entomology with FISC and WHPA; supported by a Wisconsin DATCP grant (as printed).

Fees, dates, schedule, and contact names above are what the official pages showed on the check date. Use the live FISC or Pollinators page before treating any seat or figure as available. No registration was attempted from Beekeeping Plaza.

Official URL

UW–Madison Beekeeping Short Course (FISC description, $350/$400 fees, Feb 2027 dates): https://fisc.cals.wisc.edu/offerings/uw-beekeeping-short-course/

Wisconsin Pollinators mirror (registration open, cost, schedule, campus contact): https://pollinators.wisc.edu/honey-bees/beekeeping-short-course/

Location

In person — Madison, WI (exact classroom building TBD on live pages; lodging block “nearby”). Program contact address printed on the Pollinators site: 1575 Linden Dr, 561 Moore Hall, Madison, WI 53706.

This is a Learning / university short-course address, not a Local club hall and not an Equipment retail counter.

Notes

• Category is Learning. This is a curriculum- and fee-first UW–Madison Entomology / FISC in-person short course ($350 early / $400 regular; Feb 5–6, 2027). It is not Equipment and not Local clubs. It is distinct from the Learning programs already listed (Montana, Cornell, UF IFAS, Penn State, Oregon, Texas, CSU Extension, Purdue, California/UC Davis, Tennessee Master Beekeeping, UMN Beekeeping in Northern Climates, Rutgers Bee-ginner’s Beekeeping): a different university, a Wisconsin DATCP-supported business-focused short course, and its own Feb 2027 fee/window schedule.
• The $350/$400 and $150/$200 fee tiers, Jan 5, 2027 early-bird cutoff, Feb 1, 2027 registration close, Feb 5–6 2027 dates, Friday/Saturday 9am–5pm schedule with Friday reception, Gaines Day contact, and 1575 Linden Dr / Moore Hall address are transcribed from official fisc.cals.wisc.edu and pollinators.wisc.edu pages checked on 2026-10-01 and may change. Exact classroom building and hotel block were not fully printed on the check date—use the live FISC page. No registration or payment was attempted.
• First-party documentary image saved beside this listing as uw-madison-beekeeping-short-course.jpg (official FISC course header Beekeeping-Short-Course-10-website-header-1-1024x576.png on fisc.cals.wisc.edu; recompressed to JPEG only to keep the file smaller, no other edits).
• Not affiliated with Beekeeping Plaza.
• No Beekeeping Plaza contact, purchase, booking, or publication action was taken.

FAQ

Q: What does the UW–Madison Beekeeping Short Course cost?
A: Official FISC and Pollinators pages (checked 2026-10-01): General $350 early / $400 regular; Students $150 early / $200 regular. Early-bird pricing ends January 5, 2027; registration closes February 1, 2027. Confirm https://fisc.cals.wisc.edu/offerings/uw-beekeeping-short-course/ before paying.

Q: When does the next offering run, and is it online?
A: Friday, February 5 – Saturday, February 6, 2027, in Madison, WI (in person). Friday 9am–5pm plus 5–6pm reception; Saturday 9am–5pm; lunch and snacks provided. Confirm the live page for classroom/lodging details.

Q: Is this a local bee club or a supply shop?
A: No. This listing is Learning: the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Entomology / FISC Beekeeping Short Course. For a Tucson-area meeting club see Local clubs (Southern Arizona Beekeepers Association). For hive and gear retail see Equipment (e.g. Blythewood Bee Company, Premier Bee Products).