Honey - Publication

Honey
ISSN: 1949-1492

Released March 19, 2020, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

Special Note

Honey price per pound data have been updated to dollars per pound from cents per pound. Before deciding to
update this data, NASS reviewed our estimating programs against mission- and user-based criteria requirements
to maintain the strongest data in service to U.S. agriculture. Information about all NASS surveys and reports is
available online at www.nass.usda.gov.

United States Honey Production Up 2 Percent in 2019
United States honey production in 2019 totaled 157 million pounds, up 2 percent from 2018. There were 2.81 million
colonies producing honey in 2019, down 1 percent from 2018. Yield per colony averaged 55.8 pounds, up 2 percent from
the 54.5 pounds in 2018. 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 41.0 million pounds
on December 15, 2019, up 40 percent from a year earlier. Stocks held by producers exclude those held under the
commodity loan program.

Honey Prices Down 11 Percent in 2019
United States honey prices decreased 11 percent during 2019 to $1.97 per pound, compared to $2.21 per pound in 2018.
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 2018
crop reflect honey sold in 2018 and 2019. Some 2018 crop honey was sold in 2019, which caused some revisions to the
2018 crop prices.

Price Paid per Queen was 18 Dollars in 2019
The average prices paid in 2019 for honey bee queens, packages, and nucs were $18, $85, and $100 respectively.
Pollination income for 2019 was $310 million, up 3 percent from 2018. Other income from honey bees in 2019 was
$77.7 million, down 18 percent from 2018. These estimates along with expenditure and apiary worker information can be
found on page 4 of this report.

Colonies, Yield, Production, Stocks, Price, and Value – States and United States: 2018
[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)

(dollars)

(1,000 dollars)

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

6
24
28
335
31
215
98
17
96
11

45
38
50
41
48
49
34
103
31
41

270
912
1,400
13,735
1,488
10,535
3,332
1,751
2,976
451

14
109
84
3,022
283
737
200
18
655
108

3.72
3.01
1.88
2.11
2.05
2.40
2.76
1.92
1.96
4.83

1,004
2,745
2,632
28,981
3,050
25,284
9,196
3,362
5,833
2,178

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

7
38
5
4
45
12
97
119
20
9

46
49
73
41
83
32
44
61
87
45

322
1,862
365
164
3,735
384
4,268
7,259
1,740
405

106
1,005
95
34
261
92
768
1,161
70
36

3.58
2.40
3.10
5.43
1.91
2.98
2.49
1.94
2.07
2.83

1,153
4,469
1,132
891
7,134
1,144
10,627
14,082
3,602
1,146

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

160
40
13
56
10
550
14
93
19
16

92
59
31
48
33
72
73
35
44
48

14,720
2,360
403
2,688
330
39,600
1,022
3,255
836
768

3,680
850
165
833
63
4,752
491
1,009
309
15

1.90
2.01
7.47
3.24
5.76
1.87
3.72
2.36
3.89
3.17

27,968
4,744
3,010
8,709
1,901
74,052
3,802
7,682
3,252
2,435

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

255
7
132
26
7
4
77
6
51
39

47
46
56
41
48
40
43
37
45
56

11,985
322
7,392
1,066
336
160
3,311
222
2,295
2,184

5,154
84
1,035
75
94
35
563
38
711
175

1.91
4.11
2.12
2.10
3.76
7.24
2.15
4.33
2.95
1.91

22,891
1,323
15,671
2,239
1,263
1,158
7,119
961
6,770
4,171

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

36

39

1,399

314

6.02

8,422

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

2,828

154,008

29,303

2.21

340,358

54.5

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 2020)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Colonies, Yield, Production, Stocks, Price, and Value – States and United States: 2019
[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)

(dollars)

(1,000 dollars)

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

7
23
20
335
32
205
102
16
92
11

42
46
55
48
46
45
33
80
32
39

294
1,058
1,100
16,080
1,472
9,225
3,366
1,280
2,944
429

44
201
176
3,216
500
830
370
51
677
116

3.20
1.97
1.53
1.56
2.14
2.48
2.61
1.28
1.67
4.31

941
2,084
1,683
25,085
3,150
22,878
8,785
1,638
4,916
1,849

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

9
38
7
6
54
15
94
118
22
10

55
55
79
41
72
35
50
59
80
43

495
2,090
553
246
3,888
525
4,700
6,962
1,760
430

198
1,170
171
44
428
110
1,363
3,063
141
73

3.95
2.24
2.95
4.50
2.04
2.92
2.36
1.63
1.85
3.32

1,955
4,682
1,631
1,107
7,932
1,533
11,092
11,348
3,256
1,428

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

173
39
15
59
14
520
15
87
19
16

86
52
28
58
42
65
67
32
50
47

14,878
2,028
420
3,422
588
33,800
1,005
2,784
950
752

5,802
223
155
1,027
118
6,422
442
1,141
409
45

1.48
1.46
3.33
4.49
4.06
1.40
3.42
2.07
4.24
5.01

22,019
2,961
1,399
15,365
2,387
47,320
3,437
5,763
4,028
3,768

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

270
8
126
22
6
5
81
6
46
39

72
57
60
29
48
39
35
37
47
56

19,440
456
7,560
638
288
195
2,835
222
2,162
2,184

7,582
91
1,814
89
84
49
1,191
47
692
306

1.53
4.65
2.30
2.06
4.34
7.51
2.12
4.50
2.99
1.35

29,743
2,120
17,388
1,314
1,250
1,464
6,010
999
6,464
2,948

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

30

47

1,418

351

5.91

8,380

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

2,812

156,922

41,022

1.97

309,136

55.8

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 2020)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

3

Honey Price by Color Class – United States: 2018 and 2019
Co-op and private

Color class

2018

Retail

2019

2018

All
2019

2018

2019

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

(dollars per
pound)
1.98

(dollars per
pound)
1.61

(dollars per
pound)
3.63

(dollars per
pound)
3.99

(dollars per
pound)
2.01

(dollars per
pound)
1.67

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

2.01

1.63

3.44

3.55

2.12

1.85

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

2.10

1.93

4.89

5.63

2.51

2.54

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

2.64

2.40

7.17

7.77

3.62

3.84

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

2.03

1.70

4.38

4.85

2.21

1.97

Income and Expenditures – United States: 2018 and 2019
[Represents income and expenditures on the total number of colonies, regardless of whether honey was harvested]
Item

2018

2019

(1,000 dollars)

(1,000 dollars)

Income
Pollination income ........................................................................................
Other income 1 .............................................................................................

301,854
94,644

309,630
77,677

Expenditures
Varroa control and treatment ........................................................................
Other colony issues 2 ...................................................................................
Feed 3 ..........................................................................................................
Foundation ...................................................................................................
Hives/woodenware .......................................................................................

17,788
4,825
65,220
9,534
13,646

16,366
4,535
58,010
7,887
10,230

1
2
3

Includes sales of queens, queen cells, beeswax, propolis, etc.
Includes Nosema, tracheal mites, foulbrod, paralysis, Kashmir, coudy wing, etc.
Includes syrup, sugar water, honey, pollen paties, and other feeds.

Queen, Package, and Nuc Prices Paid – United States: 2018 and 2019
[Represents prices paid on the total number of colonies, regardless of whether honey was harvested]
Item

2018

2019

(dollars)
Queen ..........................................................................................................
Package .......................................................................................................
Nuc ..............................................................................................................

(dollars)
18
87
108

18
85
100

Apiary Workers – United States: 2018 and 2019
[Represents number of paid and unpaid workers that worked with colonies, regardless of whether honey was harvested]
Item

2018

2019

(workers)

(workers)

Apiary workers .............................................................................................

23,000

25,000

4

Honey (March 2020)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Statistical Methodology
Survey Procedures: Data for honey producing operations are collected from a stratified sample of all known operations
with at least 5 honey bee colonies 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 1.2 percent. This means that chances are 1 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be
above or below the current estimate of 2.81 million colonies by more than 1.2 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the
difference will not exceed 2.2 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 ...............

1.2

2.2

15

-

85

3

1

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

1.2

2.3

932

-

4,796

3

1

- Represents zero.

Honey (March 2020)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

5

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]
Travis Averill, Chief, Livestock Branch ......................................................................................................... (202) 692-0069
Tony Dorn, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ..................................................................... (202) 690-3223
Holly Brenize – Poultry Slaughter ............................................................................................................. (202) 720-0585
Alissa Cowell-Mytar – Cold Storage, Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses .......................................... (202) 720-4751
Liana Cuffman – Catfish and Trout, Mink, Census of Aquaculture ......................................................... (202) 720-8784
Fatema Haque – Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ................................................................................. (202) 690-3244
Kim Linonis – Layers, Eggs, Egg Products .............................................................................................. (202) 690-3676
Adam Peters – Honey, Honey Bee Colonies ............................................................................................ (202) 690-4870
Takiyah Walker – Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery ........................................................................... (202) 720-6147

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