Honey - Publication

Honey
ISSN: 1949-1492

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

United States Honey Production Up 19 Percent
Honey production in 2014 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 178 million pounds, up 19 percent from
2013. There were 2.74 million colonies producing honey in 2014, up 4 percent from 2013. Yield per colony averaged 65.1
pounds, up 15 percent from the 56.6 pounds in 2013. Colonies which produced honey in more than one State were
counted in each State where the honey was produced. Therefore, at the United States level yield per colony may be
understated, but total production would not be impacted. Colonies were not included if honey was not harvested. Producer
honey stocks were 41.2 million pounds on December 15, 2014, up 8 percent from a year earlier. Stocks held by producers
exclude those held under the commodity loan program.

Record High Honey Prices
Honey prices increased to a record high during 2014 to 216.1 cents per pound, up 1 percent from 214.1 cents per pound in
2013. United States and State level prices reflect the portions of honey sold through cooperatives, private, and retail
channels. Prices for each color class are derived by weighting the quantities sold for each marketing channel. Prices for
the 2013 crop reflect honey sold in 2013 and 2014. Some 2013 crop honey was sold in 2014, which caused some revisions
to the 2013 crop prices.
Honey Price by Color Class – United States: 2013 and 2014
Price
Color class

Co-op and private

Retail

All

2013

2014

2013

2014

2013

2014

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

Water white, extra white, white ..........................

210.9

204.0

340.9

327.1

212.9

205.6

Extra light amber ...............................................

204.0

208.4

330.6

381.8

209.0

215.8

Light amber, amber, dark amber ........................

197.3

207.7

405.1

423.4

219.2

232.3

All other honey, area specialties ........................

222.4

251.6

492.5

525.2

248.9

305.2

All honey ............................................................

205.8

206.4

382.4

406.6

214.1

216.1

Number of Colonies, Yield, Production, Stocks, Price, and Value – States and United States: 2013
[Producers with 5 or more colonies. Colonies which produced honey in more than one State were counted in each State]
State

Honey
producing
colonies 1

Yield
per
colony

Production

Stocks
December 15 2

Average
price per
pound 3

Value
of
production 4

(1,000)

(pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(cents)

(1,000 dollars)

Alabama ...............................
Arizona .................................
Arkansas ...............................
California ..............................
Colorado ...............................
Florida ...................................
Georgia .................................
Hawaii ...................................
Idaho .....................................
Illinois ....................................

7
29
22
330
26
220
67
13
83
7

52
36
60
33
43
61
50
83
32
48

364
1,044
1,320
10,890
1,118
13,420
3,350
1,079
2,656
336

55
251
66
2,505
324
1,074
637
65
1,036
101

285
196
202
211
210
203
226
197
202
419

1,037
2,046
2,666
22,978
2,348
27,243
7,571
2,126
5,365
1,408

Indiana ..................................
Iowa ......................................
Kansas ..................................
Kentucky ...............................
Louisiana ..............................
Maine ....................................
Michigan ...............................
Minnesota .............................
Mississippi ............................
Missouri ................................

6
39
6
3
50
7
85
130
17
10

47
48
46
41
98
43
55
58
116
47

282
1,872
276
123
4,900
301
4,675
7,540
1,972
470

82
1,217
39
17
490
27
982
1,282
39
85

277
245
250
325
189
314
216
199
186
262

781
4,586
690
400
9,261
945
10,098
15,005
3,668
1,231

Montana ................................
Nebraska ..............................
New Jersey ...........................
New York ..............................
North Carolina .......................
North Dakota .........................
Ohio ......................................
Oregon ..................................
Pennsylvania ........................
South Dakota ........................

159
46
11
55
10
480
17
62
13
265

94
60
44
48
38
69
45
35
45
56

14,946
2,760
484
2,640
380
33,120
765
2,170
585
14,840

5,231
1,628
34
1,030
84
6,955
390
456
257
6,381

209
207
419
212
367
204
329
239
303
207

31,237
5,713
2,028
5,597
1,395
67,565
2,517
5,186
1,773
30,719

Tennessee ............................
Texas ....................................
Utah ......................................
Vermont ................................
Virginia ..................................
Washington ...........................
West Virginia .........................
Wisconsin .............................
Wyoming ...............................

7
106
30
3
5
69
6
59
47

45
59
34
51
35
39
46
60
66

315
6,254
1,020
153
175
2,691
276
3,540
3,102

63
1,689
92
46
42
1,023
83
1,558
558

355
210
209
389
450
230
366
238
211

1,118
13,133
2,132
595
788
6,189
1,010
8,425
6,545

Other States 5 6 .....................

33

39

1,295

186

383

4,960

149,499

38,160

United States

6 7

....................

2,640

56.6

214.1

320,077

1

Honey producing colonies are the maximum number of colonies from which honey was taken during the year. It is possible to take honey from
colonies which did not survive the entire year.
Stocks held by producers.
3
Average price per pound based on expanded sales.
4
Value of production is equal to production multiplied by average price per pound.
5
Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and South Carolina not
published separately to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.
6
Due to rounding, total colonies multiplied by total yield may not exactly equal production.
7
United States value of production will not equal summation of States.
2

2

Honey (March 2015)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Number of Colonies, Yield, Production, Stocks, Price, and Value – States and United States: 2014
[Producers with 5 or more colonies. Colonies which produced honey in more than one State were counted in each State]
State

Honey
producing
colonies 1

Yield
per
colony

Production

Stocks
December 15 2

Average
price per
pound 3

Value
of
production 4

(1,000)

(pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(cents)

(1,000 dollars)

Alabama ...............................
Arizona .................................
Arkansas ..............................
California ..............................
Colorado ...............................
Florida ..................................
Georgia ................................
Hawaii ..................................
Idaho ....................................
Illinois ...................................

7
26
21
320
27
245
73
15
100
8

53
39
65
39
37
60
62
93
34
49

371
1,014
1,365
12,480
999
14,700
4,526
1,395
3,400
392

26
193
137
2,995
200
1,029
362
140
850
94

340
202
200
203
200
208
219
228
203
441

1,261
2,048
2,730
25,334
1,998
30,576
9,912
3,181
6,902
1,729

Indiana .................................
Iowa ......................................
Kansas .................................
Kentucky ...............................
Louisiana ..............................
Maine ...................................
Michigan ...............................
Minnesota .............................
Mississippi ............................
Missouri ................................

5
35
7
5
48
8
91
132
20
12

62
43
75
47
84
47
63
60
112
47

310
1,505
525
235
4,032
376
5,733
7,920
2,240
564

115
933
84
56
524
41
1,835
1,426
45
96

324
251
233
393
226
536
250
206
201
357

1,004
3,778
1,223
924
9,112
2,015
14,333
16,315
4,502
2,013

Montana ...............................
Nebraska ..............................
New Jersey ...........................
New York ..............................
North Carolina ......................
North Dakota ........................
Ohio ......................................
Oregon .................................
Pennsylvania ........................
South Carolina ......................

162
50
12
60
12
490
15
71
17
9

88
75
30
55
43
86
61
40
46
54

14,256
3,750
360
3,300
516
42,140
915
2,840
782
486

5,132
1,688
119
1,518
88
9,271
256
767
203
19

205
210
298
272
347
200
352
219
275
383

29,225
7,875
1,073
8,976
1,791
84,280
3,221
6,220
2,151
1,861

South Dakota ........................
Tennessee ............................
Texas ...................................
Utah ......................................
Vermont ................................
Virginia .................................
Washington ..........................
West Virginia ........................
Wisconsin .............................
Wyoming ..............................

280
7
116
29
3
6
68
6
53
38

87
63
78
28
58
41
44
31
54
61

24,360
441
9,048
812
174
246
2,992
186
2,862
2,318

5,846
88
2,081
130
61
57
1,167
33
1,030
255

209
323
223
213
503
507
248
404
232
206

50,912
1,424
20,177
1,730
875
1,247
7,420
751
6,640
4,775

Other States 5 6 .....................

31

45

1,404

202

358

5,026

United States 6 7 ....................

2,740

178,270

41,192

65.1

216.1

385,241

1

Honey producing colonies are the maximum number of colonies from which honey was taken during the year. It is possible to take honey from
colonies which did not survive the entire year.
2
Stocks held by producers.
3
Average price per pound based on expanded sales.
4
Value of production is equal to production multiplied by average price per pound.
5
Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island not published
separately to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.
6
Due to rounding, total colonies multiplied by total yield may not exactly equal production.
7
United States value of production will not equal summation of States.

Honey (March 2015)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

3

Statistical Methodology
Survey Procedures: Data for honey producing operations are collected from a stratified sample of all known producers
with five or more colonies. NASS Regional Field Offices maintain a list of all known honey producers and use known
sources of producers to update their lists. All sampled honey producers with five or more colonies are mailed a
questionnaire and given adequate time to respond by mail or electronic data reporting (EDR). Those that do not respond
by mail or EDR are telephoned or possibly enumerated in person. Prices are collected by color class and marketing
channel.
Estimation Procedures: Sound statistical methodology is employed to derive the estimates from reported data. All data
are analyzed for unusual values. Data from each operation are compared to their own past operating profile and to trends
from similar operations. Data for missing operations were estimated based on similar operations or historical data. State
offices prepare these estimates by using a combination of survey indications and historic trends. Prices for each color class
are derived by weighting the quantities sold for each marketing channel. Individual State estimates are reviewed by the
Agricultural Statistics Board for reasonableness.
Revision Policy: The previous year’s estimates are subject to revision when current year’s estimates are made. Revisions
are the result of late reports or corrected data. Price revisions can be the result of additional sales reported the following
year. Estimates will also be reviewed after data from the 5-year Census of Agriculture are available. No revisions will be
made after that date.
Reliability: Since all honey producing operations are not included in the sample, survey estimates are subject to sampling
variability. Survey results are also subject to non-sampling errors such as omissions, duplication, and mistakes in
reporting, recording, and processing the data. While these errors cannot be measured directly, they are minimized through
strict quality controls in the data collection process and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and
reasonableness.
To assist in evaluating the reliability of the estimates in this report, the “Root Mean Square Error” is shown for selected
items in the following table. The “Root Mean Square Error” is a statistical measure based on past performance and is
computed using the differences between first and final estimates. The “Root Mean Square Error” for honey producing
colonies over the past 10 years is 1.3 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be
above or below the current estimate of 2.74 million colonies by more than 1.3 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the
difference will not exceed 2.4 percent.

Reliability of Honey Estimates
[Based on data for the past 10 years]
Item

Root mean
square error
(percent)

Difference between first and latest estimate

90 percent
confidence
level

Average

Smallest

Largest

(percent)

(1,000)

(1,000)

(1,000)

Years
Below latest

Above latest

(number)

(number)

Honey producing colonies ..............

1.3

2.4

18

-

85

5

3

Honey production ...........................

1.3

2.4

1,095

-

4,796

4

4

- Represents zero.

4

Honey (March 2015)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Information Contacts
Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to
contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to [email protected]
Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch .......................................................................................................... (202) 720-3570
Bruce Boess, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section .................................................................. (202) 720-4447
Alissa Cowell-Mytar – Cold Storage ....................................................................................................... (202) 720-4751
Heidi Gleich – Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery ................................................................................ (202) 720-0585
Michael Klamm – Poultry Slaughter, Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ................................................ (202) 690-3237
Tom Kruchten – Census of Aquaculture .................................................................................................. (202) 690-4870
Kim Linonis – Layers, Eggs ..................................................................................................................... (202) 690-8632
Sammy Neal – Catfish Production, Egg Products, Mink, Trout Production ............................................ (202) 720-3244
Joshua O’Rear – Honey ............................................................................................................................ (202) 690-3676

Honey (March 2015)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

5

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
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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.
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].

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