Hop Stocks Release

Hop Stocks
ISSN: 1949-1484

Released March 22, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

March 1 Hop Stocks Down 3 Percent from Last Year
The inventory of hops held by growers, dealers, and brewers on March 1, 2012, totaled 117 million pounds, 3 percent less
than the revised March 1, 2011 estimate. This is the second highest level for March 1 hop stocks. The previous record of
121 million pounds was set on March 1, 2011.
Stocks held by brewers, at 53.0 million pounds, were down 4 percent from a year ago. Stocks held by growers and dealers
on March 1, 2012 totaled 64.0 million pounds, down 3 percent from a year ago.

Hop Stocks Held by Growers, Dealers, and Brewers – United States: 2009-2012
[Includes equivalent pounds of dry hops held in extract or pellet form]
Stocks

September 1

March 1

2009

2010

2011

2010

2011

2012

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

Stocks held by:
Dealers/Growers ....................
Brewers .................................

25,000
40,000

38,000
45,000

42,000
45,000

55,000
47,000

66,000
55,000

64,000
53,000

Total stocks ...........................

65,000

83,000

87,000

102,000

121,000

117,000

Statistical Methodology
Survey procedures: Grower surveys are conducted in the three estimating States (Washington, Idaho, and Oregon) to
collect stocks of hops held by growers. Additionally, contacts are made to collect stocks held by brewers and dealers.
Telephone follow-up of mail survey non-respondents is used to ensure adequate coverage.
Estimating procedures: Information obtained from the hops stocks grower, dealer, and brewers surveys are used to
establish estimates of hops stocks. These estimates are reviewed for errors, reasonableness, and consistency with historical
estimates.
Revision policy: Hop stocks are subject to revision the following estimating period following initial publication and again
in the following March Hop Stocks report. Revisions can be made when late reports are received, errors are detected in
reporting and calculations, and production estimates are revised. Estimates will also be reviewed following the 5-Year
Census of Agriculture. No revisions to these years will be made after that date.
Reliability: Survey indications are subject to sampling variability because all operations storing hops are not included in
the sample. Survey results are also subject to non-sampling errors such as omission, duplication, imputation for missing
data, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. These errors cannot be measured directly, but are
minimized through rigid quality controls in the data collection process and a careful review of all reported data for
consistency and reasonableness.

Information Contacts
Listed below are the commodity statisticians in the Crops Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact
for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to [email protected]
Lance Honig, Chief, Crops Branch ............................................................................................................... (202) 720-2127
Jorge Garcia-Pratts, Head, Fruits, Vegetables and Special Crops Section .................................................... (202) 720-2127
Debbie Flippin – Fresh and Processing Vegetables, Onions, Strawberries.............................................. (202) 720-2157
Fred Granja – Apples, Apricots, Cherries, Plums, Prunes, Tobacco ........................................................ (202) 720-4288
Chris Hawthorn – Citrus, Coffee, Grapes, Sugar Crops, Tropical Fruits ................................................. (202) 720-5412
Dave Losh – Hops .................................................................................................................................... (360) 709-2400
Dan Norris – Austrian Winter Peas, Dry Edible Peas, Lentils, Mints,
Mushrooms, Peaches, Pears, Wrinkled Seed Peas, Dry Beans ............................................................. (202) 720-3250
Daphne Schauber – Berries, Cranberries, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes ........................................................ (202) 720-4285
Erika White – Floriculture, Maple Syrup, Nursery, Tree Nuts ................................................................ (202) 720-4215

2

Hop Stocks (March 2012)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Access to NASS Reports
For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways:
 All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov
 Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e-mail subscription. To set-up this free
subscription, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov and in the “Follow NASS” box under “Receive reports by Email,”
click on “National” or “State” to select the reports you would like to receive.
 Printed reports may be purchased from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) by calling toll-free
(800) 999-6779, or (703) 605-6220 if calling from outside the United States or Canada. Accepted methods of
payment are Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order.
For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Agricultural Statistics Hotline at (800) 727-9540,
7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: [email protected].
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the
basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental
status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's
income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.)
should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at
(866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136
(Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.