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
:
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]
————————————————————————————————————
: Honey : Yield : : : Average : Value
State : producing : per : Production : Stocks : price per : of
: colonies 1/ : colony : :December 15 2/ : pound 3/ :production 4/
————————————————————————————————————
: 1,000 pounds —- 1,000 pounds —- cents 1,000 dollars
:
Alabama …………..: 7 52 364 55 285 1,037
Arizona …………..: 29 36 1,044 251 196 2,046
Arkansas ………….: 22 60 1,320 66 202 2,666
California ………..: 330 33 10,890 2,505 211 22,978
Colorado ………….: 26 43 1,118 324 210 2,348
Florida …………..: 220 61 13,420 1,074 203 27,243
Georgia …………..: 67 50 3,350 637 226 7,571
Hawaii ……………: 13 83 1,079 65 197 2,126
Idaho …………….: 83 32 2,656 1,036 202 5,365
Illinois ………….: 7 48 336 101 419 1,408
:
Indiana …………..: 6 47 282 82 277 781
Iowa ……………..: 39 48 1,872 1,217 245 4,586
Kansas ……………: 6 46 276 39 250 690
Kentucky ………….: 3 41 123 17 325 400
Louisiana …………: 50 98 4,900 490 189 9,261
Maine …………….: 7 43 301 27 314 945
Michigan ………….: 85 55 4,675 982 216 10,098
Minnesota …………: 130 58 7,540 1,282 199 15,005
Mississippi ……….: 17 116 1,972 39 186 3,668
Missouri ………….: 10 47 470 85 262 1,231
:
Montana …………..: 159 94 14,946 5,231 209 31,237
Nebraska ………….: 46 60 2,760 1,628 207 5,713
New Jersey ………..: 11 44 484 34 419 2,028
New York ………….: 55 48 2,640 1,030 212 5,597
North Carolina …….: 10 38 380 84 367 1,395
North Dakota ………: 480 69 33,120 6,955 204 67,565
Ohio ……………..: 17 45 765 390 329 2,517
Oregon ……………: 62 35 2,170 456 239 5,186
Pennsylvania ………: 13 45 585 257 303 1,773
South Dakota ………: 265 56 14,840 6,381 207 30,719
:
Tennessee …………: 7 45 315 63 355 1,118
Texas …………….: 106 59 6,254 1,689 210 13,133
Utah ……………..: 30 34 1,020 92 209 2,132
Vermont …………..: 3 51 153 46 389 595
Virginia ………….: 5 35 175 42 450 788
Washington ………..: 69 39 2,691 1,023 230 6,189
West Virginia ……..: 6 46 276 83 366 1,010
Wisconsin …………: 59 60 3,540 1,558 238 8,425
Wyoming …………..: 47 66 3,102 558 211 6,545
:
Other States 5/ 6/ …: 33 39 1,295 186 383 4,960
:
United States 6/ 7/ ..: 2,640 56.6 149,499 38,160 214.1 320,077
————————————————————————————————————
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.
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,
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.
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 : Yield : : : Average : Value
State : producing : per : Production : Stocks : price per : of
: colonies 1/ : colony : :December 15 2/ : pound 3/ :production 4/
————————————————————————————————————
: 1,000 pounds —- 1,000 pounds —- cents 1,000 dollars
:
Alabama …………..: 7 53 371 26 340 1,261
Arizona …………..: 26 39 1,014 193 202 2,048
Arkansas ………….: 21 65 1,365 137 200 2,730
California ………..: 320 39 12,480 2,995 203 25,334
Colorado ………….: 27 37 999 200 200 1,998
Florida …………..: 245 60 14,700 1,029 208 30,576
Georgia …………..: 73 62 4,526 362 219 9,912
Hawaii ……………: 15 93 1,395 140 228 3,181
Idaho …………….: 100 34 3,400 850 203 6,902
Illinois ………….: 8 49 392 94 441 1,729
:
Indiana …………..: 5 62 310 115 324 1,004
Iowa ……………..: 35 43 1,505 933 251 3,778
Kansas ……………: 7 75 525 84 233 1,223
Kentucky ………….: 5 47 235 56 393 924
Louisiana …………: 48 84 4,032 524 226 9,112
Maine …………….: 8 47 376 41 536 2,015
Michigan ………….: 91 63 5,733 1,835 250 14,333
Minnesota …………: 132 60 7,920 1,426 206 16,315
Mississippi ……….: 20 112 2,240 45 201 4,502
Missouri ………….: 12 47 564 96 357 2,013
:
Montana …………..: 162 88 14,256 5,132 205 29,225
Nebraska ………….: 50 75 3,750 1,688 210 7,875
New Jersey ………..: 12 30 360 119 298 1,073
New York ………….: 60 55 3,300 1,518 272 8,976
North Carolina …….: 12 43 516 88 347 1,791
North Dakota ………: 490 86 42,140 9,271 200 84,280
Ohio ……………..: 15 61 915 256 352 3,221
Oregon ……………: 71 40 2,840 767 219 6,220
Pennsylvania ………: 17 46 782 203 275 2,151
South Carolina …….: 9 54 486 19 383 1,861
:
South Dakota ………: 280 87 24,360 5,846 209 50,912
Tennessee …………: 7 63 441 88 323 1,424
Texas …………….: 116 78 9,048 2,081 223 20,177
Utah ……………..: 29 28 812 130 213 1,730
Vermont …………..: 3 58 174 61 503 875
Virginia ………….: 6 41 246 57 507 1,247
Washington ………..: 68 44 2,992 1,167 248 7,420
West Virginia ……..: 6 31 186 33 404 751
Wisconsin …………: 53 54 2,862 1,030 232 6,640
Wyoming …………..: 38 61 2,318 255 206 4,775
:
Other States 5/ 6/ …: 31 45 1,404 202 358 5,026
:
United States 6/ 7/ ..: 2,740 65.1 178,270 41,192 216.1 385,241
————————————————————————————————————
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.
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]
————————————————————————————————————————–
: Root mean : 90 percent : Difference between first and latest estimate
: square error : confidence : : : : :
: : level :————————————————————-
Item : : : : : : Years
: : : : : :——————————-
: : : Average :Smallest : Largest : Below latest : Above latest
————————————————————————————————————————–
: percent percent 1,000 1,000 1,000 —– 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.
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
Access to NASS Reports
For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following
ways:
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site: http://www.nass.usda.gov
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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:
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