North Carolina Beekeeper Loses Half His Revenue and Rethinks His Vote

Jim Hartman, a seasoned beekeeper and co-owner of Secret Garden Bees in Cumberland County, North Carolina, has spent years building his small honey business from the ground up.

What started as a therapeutic venture quickly evolved into a passionate livelihood.

But recent years have taken a toll.

Hartman, who was once a loyal conservative voter, now admits that policies during former President Donald Trump’s administration significantly impacted his business, cutting his annual revenue by nearly half and forcing him to reassess his political choices.

The core of Hartman’s struggle lies in the economic and environmental shifts triggered under Trump-era governance.

One major setback came in 2019 when the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended its annual Honey Bee Colonies report due to federal budget cuts.

This report was critical for researchers and beekeepers across the country, as it tracked honeybee population trends and helped shape strategies for protecting pollinators.

Without access to this data, Hartman and others in the field were left in the dark, making it harder to respond to colony losses, diseases, and environmental threats.

“In beekeeping, data isn’t just helpful—it’s essential,” Hartman said.

“When the government pulls back support, small farmers like me pay the price.”

Compounding the issue were the trade tariffs and retaliatory measures that arose during Trump’s push for aggressive economic reform.
Although these policies aimed to protect American industries, they ended up increasing costs for imported beekeeping supplies and destabilizing export markets for honey.

This economic uncertainty, paired with rising equipment costs, placed immense pressure on small-scale beekeepers like Hartman.

“I’ve seen my profits drop by nearly 50 percent,” he shared.

“That’s not a sustainable path.

I’ve had to rethink how I vote, because the decisionsNorth-Carolina-beekeeper-Jim-Hartman.jpg made at the top really do affect those of us at the bottom.”

Despite these challenges, Hartman’s dedication to his craft has not gone unnoticed.

In 2024, he was awarded North Carolina’s Small Farmer of the Year—an honour that recognizes his resilience and commitment to sustainable agriculture.

But the accolade doesn’t erase the tough choices he’s had to make or the political shifts he’s now considering.

Hartman’s story is one of thousands across America—stories of small business owners grappling with policies made far from their farms, but felt every day in their finances.

While he once cast his vote with the confidence that his values aligned with conservative leadership, he now takes a more cautious and critical approach.

“Politics used to feel distant from my farm,” Hartman said.

“Now, it feels personal.

I vote with my bees in mind.”

As America heads toward another election cycle, stories like Hartman’s may shape the conversation in rural communities.
For many, it’s not just about party loyalty—it’s about survival.