ArrayThe Municipality of Brežice has held the Mayor’s Choice Honey competition for the first time this year. It aims to support local beekeepers and introduce the public to the quality of locally produced honey. The 2026 champion is Vesna Kozole of the Brežice Beekeeping Society. The winning honey will also be presented as an official gift of the Municipality of Brežice, helping to promote local producers.
The judging took place on 3 October at Brežice Town Hall. Nineteen beekeepers entered 24 samples of blossom honey. The expert panel, all licensed by the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association, awarded five gold, 15 silver and one bronze medal. Three beekeepers received certificates of participation. The panel was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the samples.
Three beekeeping societies operate in the municipality: Brežice, Dobova-Kapele and Krška vas. Together, they form the Municipal Beekeepers’ Association of Brežice and have 82 members. Association president Rafko Ogorevc said the first competition had been a success and expressed hope that even more beekeepers would take part next year.
The idea for the competition grew out of the planting of the Mayor’s Linden Tree, donated by the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association. Mayor Ivan Molan noted that the municipality has supported beekeeping and the planting of nectar-rich plants for many years. According to the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association, Brežice is the first municipality in Slovenia to hold a mayor’s honey competition. The municipality hopes it will become a tradition, encourage beekeepers to produce high-quality honey and raise the profile of local honey.
Beekeeping also plays an important role in protecting the natural environment. Bees and other pollinators support biodiversity and pollinate many agricultural crops. The Municipality of Brežice also supports them by planting nectar-rich trees and plants. In 2025 and 2026, it acquired or planted 124 linden and fruit trees through various initiatives.
Local producers are also promoted through the Brežice Selection / Brežice Izbrano collective brand, which features products from three beekeepers in the municipality. The mayor’s honey competition complements this work, bringing together quality, local knowledge and the dedication of beekeepers.
Vesna Kozole, who is also president of the Brežice Beekeeping Society, said she was proud of the quality of local honey and the dedication of the beekeepers. The society plans to use the financial award it received as part of the competition, among other things, towards developing its own apiary, which could also become a tourist attraction.
The first Mayor’s Choice Honey competition is more than recognition for the best entry. It is an incentive for local beekeepers and a new opportunity to introduce Brežice honey to a wider audience.
