Heckwood
Freakonomics Radio

670. Beeconomics 101

Apr 10, 2026 · 55m 51s
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About this episode

How do beekeepers make a living? Why is there so much honey fraud? And why did billions of bees suddenly disappear? To find out, guest host Steve Levitt activates his hive mind. SOURCES: Alex Sapoznik , historian, reader in late medieval history at King’s College London. Chris Hiatt , past president of the American Honey Producers Association, owner of Hiatt Honey Company. Michael Roberts , founding executive director of the Resnick Center for Food Law and Policy at U.C.L.A. Law School. Walter "Wally" Thurman , professor emeritus of agricultural economics at North Carolina State University. RESOURCES: " U.S. honey is increasingly supplied through imports ," by David Olsen (USDA Economic Research Service, 2018). " Economic Effects and Responses to Changes in Honey Bee Health ," by Peyton Ferrier, Randal Rucker, Walter Thurman, and Michael Burgett (USDA Economic Research Service, 2018). " The Fable of the Bees: An Economic Investigation ," by Steven Cheung (The Journal of Law and Economics, 1973). " Sugar and Sweeteners Yearbook Tables - Visualization: Meeting honey demand in the United States ," (USDA Economic Research Service) . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

670. Beeconomics 101 — Heckwood