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Jaycox wins American Honey Queen title

Webster City native to promote beekeeping across the U.S.

—Submitted photo 2017 American Honey Queen Maia Jaycox

Webster City graduate Maia Jaycox was crowned the 2017 American Honey Queen on Jan. 14 at the North American Beekeeping Conference in Galveston, Texas. The competition, in association with the American Beekeeping Federation, was held throughout last week.

Jaycox will continue to educate the public on the importance of bees as well as promote the beekeeping industry.

“I just thought this would be a good learning experience and a good way to meet new people,” said Jaycox.

Jaycox, 19, is the daughter of Scott and Juli Jaycox of Webster City, and the granddaughter of Lynn and Debbie Jaycox, Webster City, and Richard and JoAnn Kuebler of Tuscan, Arizona. She developed an interest in beekeeping after her parents started keeping bees.

Jaycox currently attends Iowa State University in Ames with an undeclared major. She is involved in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority at ISU.

Jaycox was crowned the 2016 Iowa Honey Queen at the Iowa Honey Producer Association annual meeting.

As the 2016 Iowa Honey Queen, Jaycox served as a spokesperson on behalf of the Iowa Honey Producers Association, an organization representing beekeepers and honey producers throughout Iowa. During her year long reign she promoted and spoke in venues statewide about the importance of honeybees and how honeybees are the connection between plants and our plates. She also shared information about the many uses for honey. She promoted the honey industry at county fairs, farmers markets, festivals, radio interviews, the state fair and schools.

“I’m passionate about beekeeping because many species of bees are an endangered species and people need to know more about them,” Jaycox said.

According to the American Beekeeping Federation, honeybees are responsible for nearly one-third of our entire diet, in regards to the pollination services that they provide for a large majority of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes. This amounts to nearly $15 billion per year of direct value from honeybee pollination to United States agriculture.

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