When Jerry Mattiaccio, a 62-year-old Army veteran and beekeeper, arrived at his Stafford County, Virginia farm earlier this month, he didn’t expect to find death waiting at the gate. Thick steel chains and a heavy-duty padlock had been illegally wrapped around the property entrance. But what lay beyond the gate was far worse: a silent field littered with bee carcasses. According to Emma Uber of the Washington Post, more than 500,000 bees were found dead – many with their tongues sticking out, a telltale sign of pesticide poisoning. For Mattiaccio, who owns and operates Rock Hill Honey Bee Farm, the scene was heartbreaking.
An Attack with No Profit, Just Malice
“This was sabotage,” Mattiaccio told The Washington Post. The poison wasn’t sprayed on accident, nor was the locking of the gate a prank. This was a premeditated, targeted strike against his bees – and possibly against the broader agricultural system. As Charlie Rankin of Yanasa TV emphasized in his video commentary, “None of these actions could be accidental. this was clearly intentional.” The victims? Roughly 60 nucleus colonies, or “nucs,” which are starter hives each containing a queen, thousands of workers, and eggs – critical to breeding future colonies.
The Financial and Environmental Damage
Sophie Rosenthal, reporting for WUSA9, notes that Mattiaccio now faces an estimated $20,000 in damages. Replacing the bees, rebuilding the colonies, and recovering from lost productivity won’t be easy. But beyond economics, the environmental toll could be even greater. Bees are crucial pollinators responsible for up to a third of the food we eat. “It was a direct attack on our food supply,” Rankin observed. He’s not wrong – Mattiaccio’s bees support local farms by aiding in the pollination of fruit and vegetable crops. Disrupting that chain doesn’t just hurt a single farm; it reverberates across ecosystems and dinner tables.
A Growing Pattern of Agroterrorism
Rankin also reminded viewers that this isn’t the first time a bee farm has been attacked. In 2019, a similar poisoning occurred in Florida, killing millions of bees. “We’ve seen acts of what I call agroterrorism against farmers a lot over the years,” Rankin said, citing everything from cattle mutilations to sabotaged hay bales. Whether driven by ideological motives, local disputes, or targeted harassment, these acts share a common goal: destabilize food production and demoralize the people who feed us.
Community Support Amid Tragedy
If there’s a silver lining to this grim event, it’s the way the local community has responded. According to both Rosenthal and Uber, the original $2,500 reward Mattiaccio offered for information leading to an arrest has now ballooned to $7,500. Local businesses like Mason-Dixon Cafe and Great Harvest Bread stepped up to match his reward, and messages of support have poured in from across the country. “The outrage spread like wildfire,” Mattiaccio said. Yet, he remains firm in his principles. He has refused offers for crowdfunding support, stating, “I do not want hardworking people to pay for the screwup of some bitter individual.”
More Than a Business – A Mission
For Mattiaccio, beekeeping is more than a job. It started as a hobby in 2010 to ease the stress of working as a defense contractor with the FBI. Today, Rock Hill Honey Bee Farm has over 1,100 colonies and ships bees and honey worldwide. Uber notes that he also rents out bees to nearby farms for pollination – a practice that is increasingly essential as wild pollinator populations decline. His operation plays a critical role in local agriculture and food security.
The Case for Vigilance and Justice
So far, no arrests have been made, but the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate, according to both Rosenthal and Uber. Officers photographed the damage and took samples from the site. As of this writing, the $7,500 reward still stands. In a Facebook post addressing the culprits directly, Mattiaccio wrote, “I am a soldier, I am a farmer, and I am undeterred… Nothing you do to me will change that.”
Why Would Anyone Poison Bees?
The question remains – why do this? Rankin speculates it may be a local dispute, a competitor, or even an anti-bee activist who believes honeybees threaten native pollinators. “It wouldn’t surprise me if this was some sort of advocate… out to go after this guy,” he said. But while there may be debate in ecological circles about honeybee impact on wild species, poisoning hives is not conservation. It’s a criminal act of malice and ignorance.
Conservation in Crisis
The backdrop to all of this is a worsening crisis in pollinator populations. Uber reports that some scientists expect up to 70% of honeybee colonies in the U.S. could collapse this year due to climate change, disease, and pesticide exposure. In that context, the deliberate destruction of healthy, productive colonies is not just criminal – it’s suicidal. We need more bees, not fewer. As Rankin puts it, “Bees are responsible for pollinating a considerable amount of agricultural crops throughout the United States.”
Resilience in the Face of Cowardice
Despite the loss, Mattiaccio is pressing on. His “honey slingers” continue to sell product at more than a dozen farmers markets in Virginia, including Manassas, Lorton, and Falls Church. “You do what you need to do and you drive on,” he told Uber. That determination echoes the military discipline of a man who refuses to be broken. He’s building back, hive by hive.
Agroterrorism Must Be Taken Seriously
The poisoning at Rock Hill Honey Bee Farm isn’t an isolated incident. It’s a disturbing example of agroterrorism – acts of violence designed to harm food production systems. Rankin is right to sound the alarm. These crimes are often written off as vandalism or neighborly spats, but they are assaults on our food chain. Whether it’s bees in Virginia, cows in Pennsylvania, or hay bales in Vermont, the intent is clear: sow chaos, cause loss, and frighten the people who feed us.
How You Can Help
The best way to support Rock Hill Honey Bee Farm, according to Mattiaccio, is simple: buy honey. No donations, no GoFundMe – just purchase a product that supports the bees and the farmer who raises them. His honey is sold across Virginia, and every jar bought is a vote for resilience, accountability, and justice. And if you know anything about the person responsible, that $7,500 reward is still waiting.
In a time when pollinators are dying and farmers are under increasing threat, the poisoning of half a million bees is more than vandalism – it’s an attack on food security, biodiversity, and community trust. We can’t let it become just another headline. As Mattiaccio has shown us, the best response is to stand firm, rebuild, and make sure the world knows that our farmers – and our bees – won’t go down without a fight.
For additional info, check out the WUSA9 article here, the Washington Post article here, and the Yanasa TV video here.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, John developed a love for the great outdoors early on. With years of experience as a wilderness guide, he’s navigated rugged terrains and unpredictable weather patterns. John is also an avid hunter and fisherman who believes in sustainable living. His focus on practical survival skills, from building shelters to purifying water, reflects his passion for preparedness. When he’s not out in the wild, you can find him sharing his knowledge through writing, hoping to inspire others to embrace self-reliance.