From “Spray & Pray” to Precision Farming: Jake Moore on The End of Guesswork in Beekeeping

What does it actually take to run a profitable beekeeping operation in 2026?In this episode of the Nectar Podcast, Sam sits down with Jake Moore — a second-generation commercial beekeeper running 3,000+ hives in Texas — to talk about his unique approach to beekeeping: specifically, using regular data sampling to make disciplined decisions.Instead of the industry-standard “spray and pray” approach, Jake samples 10–20% of his hives on nearly every visit — using that information to prioritize yard visits, and decide what kinds of inputs yards need.The result: lower input costs, higher survival rates, and a fundamentally different way of thinking about the operation.This conversation covers:Why most beekeepers are over-treating (and wasting money)How sampling creates “checks and balances” for instinctsHow Jake identified hidden mortality trends across regionsWhy the future of beekeeping is moving from operation → yard → hive-level decisionsHow tools like Nectar (and Meli) could make full-hive sampling possibleAt a time when input costs are rising and honey prices are stagnant, this isn’t just about better beekeeping — it’s about survival.