Honey - Publication

Honey
ISSN: 1949-1492

Released March 22, 2017, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

Special Note
Beginning with this publication, new tables have been added with estimates on expenditures, incomes, and other data
related to beekeeping. Please contact the Livestock Branch at (202) 720-3570 or email at [email protected]
with any questions or concerns.

United States Honey Production Up 3 Percent for Operations with Five or More Colonies in 2016
United States honey production in 2016 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 162 million pounds,
up 3 percent from 2015. There were 2.78 million colonies from which honey was harvested in 2016, up 4 percent
from 2015. Yield of honey harvested per colony averaged 58.3 pounds, down 1 percent from the 58.9 pounds in 2015.
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 41.3 million pounds on
December 15, 2016, down 2 percent from a year earlier. Stocks held by producers exclude those held under the
commodity loan program.

Operations with Less than Five Colonies Produced 766 Thousand Pounds of Honey in 2016
United States honey production in 2016 from producers with less than five colonies totaled 766 thousand pounds,
up 6 percent from 2015. There were 24 thousand colonies from which honey was harvested in 2016, up 4 percent
from 2015. The average yield was 31.9 pounds per colony in 2016, up 2 percent from the previous year. This yield
is 26.4 pounds less than what was harvested per colony on operations with five or more colonies.

Honey Prices Down Slightly for Operations with Five or More Colonies in 2016
United States honey prices decreased during 2016 to 207.5 cents per pound, down slightly from 208.3 cents per pound
in 2015. 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 2015 crop reflect honey sold in 2015 and 2016. Some 2015 honey was sold in 2016, which caused some revisions to
the 2015 honey prices. Price data was not collected for operations with less than five colonies.

Price Paid per Queen was 19 Dollars for Operations with Five or More Colonies in 2016
For operations with five or more colonies, the average prices paid in 2016 for honey bee queens, packages, and nucs
were $19, $89, and $117 respectively. The average prices paid in 2016 for operations with less than five colonies
were $33 per queen, $109 per package, and $122 per nuc. Comparable data is not available for 2015. For operations with
five more colonies, pollination income for 2016 was $338 million, down 1 percent from 2015. Other income from honey
bees for operations with five or more colonies in 2016 was $149 million, down 10 percent from 2015. These estimates
along with expenditure and apiary worker information can be found on pages 4 and 5 of this report.

Number of Colonies, Yield, Production, Stocks, Price, and Value – States and United States: 2015
[Operations with 5 or more colonies that also qualify as a farm. Colonies which produced honey in more than one State were counted in each State]
State

Honey
producing
colonies 1
(1,000)

Yield
per
colony

Production

Stocks
December 15 2

Average
price per
pound 3

Value
of
production 4

(pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(cents)

(1,000 dollars)

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

7
26
24
275
29
220
69
14
89
8

47
49
72
30
51
54
40
102
32
51

329
1,274
1,728
8,250
1,479
11,880
2,760
1,428
2,848
408

13
306
121
1,485
399
832
221
71
1,082
155

383
203
206
203
226
197
243
191
193
466

1,260
2,586
3,560
16,748
3,343
23,404
6,707
2,727
5,497
1,901

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

6
36
8
5
44
10
90
122
15
10

53
50
36
46
99
47
58
68
83
52

318
1,800
288
230
4,356
470
5,220
8,296
1,245
520

165
990
107
55
348
47
1,984
2,157
87
52

323
220
350
404
195
543
244
184
240
355

1,027
3,960
1,008
929
8,494
2,552
12,737
15,265
2,988
1,846

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

146
57
12
58
12
490
17
71
17
14

83
48
27
62
45
74
50
38
53
67

12,118
2,736
324
3,596
540
36,260
850
2,698
901
938

3,757
1,450
207
899
103
9,428
357
809
225
38

194
204
420
294
451
180
360
243
362
410

23,509
5,581
1,361
10,572
2,435
65,268
3,060
6,556
3,262
3,846

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

290
7
126
27
5
6
73
5
52
38

66
59
66
42
52
38
44
35
67
77

19,140
413
8,316
1,134
260
228
3,212
175
3,484
2,926

9,379
78
1,164
147
62
50
1,221
32
1,603
146

179
404
210
192
423
553
180
444
243
190

34,261
1,669
17,464
2,177
1,100
1,261
5,782
777
8,466
5,559

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

30

39

1,168

371

524

6,102

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

2,660

156,544

42,203

58.9

208.3

326,081

1

Honey producing colonies are the maximum number of colonies from which honey was harvested during the year. It is possible to harvest 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.

2

Honey (March 2017)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Number of Colonies, Yield, Production, Stocks, Price, and Value – States and United States: 2016
[Operations with 5 or more colonies that also qualify as a farm. 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
27
24
310
32
215
96
16
97
10

52
46
69
36
40
50
39
113
34
48

364
1,242
1,656
11,160
1,280
10,750
3,744
1,808
3,298
480

33
261
99
2,009
282
538
899
127
1,253
77

337
199
184
200
217
244
269
231
172
539

1,227
2,472
3,047
22,320
2,778
26,230
10,071
4,176
5,673
2,587

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

7
37
7
5
50
12
89
124
19
8

62
48
48
46
86
34
60
59
85
62

434
1,776
336
230
4,300
408
5,340
7,316
1,615
496

208
746
54
48
301
65
1,709
1,390
113
30

336
207
297
402
193
321
225
164
174
218

1,458
3,676
998
925
8,299
1,310
12,015
11,998
2,810
1,081

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

159
48
12
64
12
485
15
74
19
16

77
46
27
57
37
78
79
35
50
45

12,243
2,208
324
3,648
444
37,830
1,185
2,590
950
720

3,183
640
198
1,167
89
6,809
664
622
266
36

175
188
669
320
461
173
384
206
315
450

21,425
4,151
2,168
11,674
2,047
65,446
4,550
5,335
2,993
3,240

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

280
6
133
31
6
5
84
5
54
40

71
55
70
32
52
38
35
32
62
68

19,880
330
9,310
992
312
190
2,940
160
3,348
2,720

12,127
69
2,607
169
69
30
412
43
1,205
190

174
478
196
191
282
582
188
373
244
176

34,591
1,577
18,248
1,895
880
1,106
5,527
597
8,169
4,787

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

35

44

1,525

416

426

6,497

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

2,775

161,882

41,253

58.3

207.5

335,905

1

Honey producing colonies are the maximum number of colonies from which honey was harvested during the year. It is possible to harvest 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 2017)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

3

Number of Colonies, Yield, and Production – United States: 2015 and 2016
[Operations with less than 5 colonies that also qualify as a farm]
Honey
producing
colonies 1

State
2015

2016

(1,000)
United States 2 ......................

Yield
per
colony
2015

(1,000)
23

Production
2016

(pounds)
24

2015

(pounds)

31.3

2016

(1,000 pounds)

31.9

(1,000 pounds)

720

766

1

Honey producing colonies are the maximum number of colonies from which honey was harvested during the year. It is possible to harvest honey from
colonies which did not survive the entire year.
2
Due to rounding, total colonies multiplied by total yield may not exactly equal production.

Honey Price by Color Class – United States: 2015 and 2016
[Operations with 5 or more colonies that also qualify as a farm]
Price
Color class

Co-op and private

Retail

All

2015

2016

2015

2016

2015

2016

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

(cents per
pound)

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

188.6

185.1

305.4

490.8

190.6

192.9

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

202.5

187.7

411.8

377.5

213.2

195.1

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

200.4

189.4

412.1

436.4

234.7

224.8

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

284.9

244.0

656.6

792.8

351.5

385.6

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

195.0

188.1

409.9

462.0

208.3

207.5

Queen, Package, and Nuc Prices Paid – United States: 2016
[Operations that qualify as a farm. Represents prices paid by operations, regardless of whether honey produced. For more estimates on the total
number of colonies, see the Honey Bee Colonies report]
United States

Queen

Package

Nuc

(dollars per)

(dollars per)

(dollars per)

Operations with
5 or more colonies ....................................................................
Less than 5 colonies ................................................................

19
33

89
109

117
122

Pollination and Other Income – United States: 2015 and 2016
[Operations that qualify as a farm. Represents incomes from the total number of colonies, regardless of whether honey was harvested. For more
estimates on the total number of colonies, see the Honey Bee Colonies report]
United States

2016

2015

2016

(1,000 dollars)

(1,000 dollars)

(1,000 dollars)

(1,000 dollars)

Operations with
5 or more colonies .............................................
Less than 5 colonies .........................................
1

4

Other income 1

Pollination income
2015

340,275
70

337,834
180

165,732
103

148,523
62

Includes sales of queens, queen cells, beeswax, propolis, etc.

Honey (March 2017)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Expenditures for Honey Bee Operations – United States: 2015 and 2016
[Operations that qualify as a farm. Represents expenditures on the total number of colonies, regardless of whether honey was harvested. For more
estimates on the total number of colonies, see the Honey Bee Colonies report]
Expenditures

Varroa control and treatment ...............................
Other colony issues 1 ...........................................
Feed 2 ..................................................................
Foundation ..........................................................
Hives/woodenware ..............................................
1
2

5 or more colonies

Less than 5 colonies

2015

2016

2015

2016

(1,000 dollars)

(1,000 dollars)

(1,000 dollars)

(1,000 dollars)

16,128
6,371
50,283
9,461
11,156

16,042
6,647
50,307
7,294
9,014

264
100
559
400
719

262
82
482
320
706

Includes Nosema, tracheal mites, foulbrood, paralysis, Kashmir, cloudy wing, etc.
Includes syrup, sugar water, honey, pollen patties, and other feeds.

Apiary Workers – United States: 2015 and 2016
[Operations that qualify as a farm. Represents number of paid and unpaid workers that worked with colonies, regardless of whether honey was
harvested. For more estimates on the total number of colonies, see the Honey Bee Colonies report]
United States

5 or more colonies ....................................................................................
Less than 5 colonies .................................................................................

Honey (March 2017)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Apiary workers
2015

2016

(workers)

(workers)
23,000
19,000

24,000
19,000

5

Statistical Methodology
Survey Procedures: Data for honey producing operations are collected from a stratified sample of all known operations
that also meet USDA’s definition of a farm. To qualify as a farm, an operation must be any place from which $1,000 or
more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the year. NASS Regional
Field Offices maintain a list of all known operations and use known sources of operations to update their lists. All
sampled operations 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 from operations with five or more colonies.
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 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 2.78 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

17

-

85

5

1

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

1.3

2.4

1,080

-

4,796

4

2

- Represents zero.

6

Honey (March 2017)
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
Aaron Cosgrove – Catfish Production, Egg Products, Poultry Slaughter, Trout Production,
Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ........................................................................................................ (202) 690-3237
Alissa Cowell-Mytar – Cold Storage ....................................................................................................... (202) 720-4751
Tom Kruchten – Census of Aquaculture .................................................................................................. (202) 690-4870
Kim Linonis – Layers, Eggs ..................................................................................................................... (202) 690-8632
Joshua O’Rear – Cost of Pollination, Honey, Honey Bee Colonies .......................................................... (202) 690-3676
Miste Salmon – Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery, Mink ................................................................... (202) 720-3244

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