Hop Stocks Publication

Hop Stocks
ISSN: 1949-1484

Released March 20, 2015, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

March 1 Hop Stocks Down 2 Percent from Last Year
The inventory of hops held by growers, dealers, and brewers on March 1, 2015, totaled 119 million pounds, 2 percent less
than March 1, 2014. Stocks held by brewers, at 43.0 million pounds, were down 12 percent from last year. Stocks held by
growers and dealers on March 1 totaled 76.0 million pounds, up 6 percent from a year ago.

Hop Stocks Held by Growers, Dealers, and Brewers – United States: 2012-2015
[Includes equivalent pounds of dry hops held in extract or pellet form]
Stocks

September 1

March 1

2012

2013

2014

2013

2014

2015

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

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

44,000
52,000

(NA)
(NA)

47,000
43,000

62,000
53,000

72,000
49,000

76,000
43,000

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

96,000

(NA)

90,000

115,000

121,000

119,000

(NA) Not available.

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, or 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
Vincent Davis – Fresh and Processing Vegetables, Onions, Strawberries, Cherries ....................... (202) 720-2157
Fleming Gibson – Citrus, Coffee, Grapes, Sugar Crops, Tropical Fruits ........................................ (202) 720-5412
Greg Lemmons – Berries, Cranberries, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes .................................................. (202) 720-4285
Dave Losh – Hops ............................................................................................................................ (360) 709-2400
Dan Norris – Austrian Winter Peas, Dry Edible Peas, Lentils, Mint,
Mushrooms, Peaches, Pears, Wrinkled Seed Peas, Dry Beans .................................................. (202) 720-3250
Daphne Schauber – Floriculture, Maple Syrup, Nursery, Tree Nuts .............................................. (202) 720-4215
Chris Singh – Apples, Apricots, Plums, Prunes, Tobacco .............................................................. (202) 720-4288

2

Hop Stocks (March 2015)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

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