Keith Tignor

Virginia State Apiarist

As an employee of Virginia Tech and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Mr. Tignor has worked closely with the beekeeping industry over the past 25 years. He participated in teaching, research, and extension activities in apiculture studies and insect physiology programs within the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech. Since 2000 he has served as the State Apiarist at VDACS. In this capacity he is the coordinator of the regulatory and assistance programs for beekeeping in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mr. Tignor has made numerous presentations to local, state, and national beekeeping organizations on honey bee management and organized classes and workshops on honey bee related programs. His duties at VDACS also include organizing recruitment and education programs for beekeeping. Recent initiatives begun at VDACS include training and promotion of queen and nucleus colony production, implementing new management techniques, and developing pollinator protection plans.