There's very little in California's agriculture industry that's been left untouched by the ongoing drought, and bees are no exception.

Besides making honey, bees are crucial to pollinating about one-third of all U.S. crops.



But the drought, heading into a fourth year, is threatening honey production and the ability of beekeepers to make a living in a state that was once the top honey producer in the country.

"My honey production is down about 20 percent from the drought," said Bill Lewis, president of the California Beekeepers Association.

Lewis, who manages around 50 billion bees in Southern California, explained that the lack of rain has reduced plants that provide food for the bees and the nectar they turn into honey.

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Lewis said he's had to feed his bees much less nutritional food such as sugar water that's threatening the health of the bees and slowing the generation of honey.



"It doesn't have the minerals that real food from plants have," he said. "It's like putting them on Twinkies."



Lewis added that feeding the bees this way costs him more but it's a cost he can't pass on to consumers.

"Imports of honey keep me from raising my prices," he said. "It's a real challenge, financially."