2014 United States Honey Production Up 19 Percent

(Courtesy USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service)
Honey production in 2014 from producers with five or more colonies totaled178 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 averaged65.1 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 colonymay be understated, but total production would not be impacted. Colonies were not included if honey was not harvested. Producer honey stocks were 41.2million pounds on December 15, 2014, up 8 percent from a year earlier. Stocksheld 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 2013crop reflect honey sold in 2013 and 2014. Some 2013 crop honey was sold in2014, which caused some revisions to the 2013 crop prices.

Honey Price by Color Class – United States: 2013 and 2014 

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 

Honey 03/20/2015

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.

See full version here: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/Hone/Hone-03-20-2015.pdf