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USDA: U.S. honey production dropped 9 percent from 2016
 


WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. honey production in 2017 from producers with five or more colonies totaling 148 million pounds was down 9 percent from 2016, according to the annual USDA Honey report last month.

“There were 2.67 million colonies producing honey in 2017, down 4 percent from 2016,” the report read. “Colonies which produced honey in more than one state were counted in each state where the honey was produced.”

At the national 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 30.6 million pounds on Dec. 15, 2017, down 26 percent from a year earlier.”

Moreover, U.S. honey production in 2017 from producers in operations with fewer than five colonies totaled 599,000 pounds, down 22 percent from 2016: “There were 20,000 colonies from which honey was harvested in 2017, down 17 percent from 2016. The average yield was 30 pounds per colony in 2017, down 6 percent from the previous year.”

In Illinois, honey production from producers with five or more colonies totaled 506,000 pounds in 2017, up from 480,000 pounds in 2016. Yield per colony averaged 46 pounds in 2017, down from 48.

In Iowa, production totaled 2.03 million pounds in 2017, up 14 percent from the 1.78 million produced in 2016, despite fewer hives last year. Yield per colony averaged 58 pounds in 2017, up from 48.

In his March 8 report, Iowa State Apiarist Andrew Joseph said this winter was hard on bee colonies. “I’ve gotten very mixed reports of winter survivorship,” he said. “If the bees were of compromised condition last fall, they probably aren’t around anymore, and it’s time to try again. This seems to be more true each year.”

In Indiana, honey production totaled 336,000 pounds in 2017, down from 434,000 in 2016. Yield per colony averaged 48 pounds in 2017, down from 62.

Kathleen Prough, chief apiary inspector for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources division of entomology and plant pathology, explained the decrease in honey production in 2017 was due to rainy weather last May and June during the state’s main honey flow.

“The northern part of the state also had extended cold weather into May,” she said. “This led to a shorter nectar flow in the spring. Indiana did have a fall nectar flow, allowing beekeepers to collect additional honey.

“With reports from beekeepers, it is estimated that the winter loss is around 45 percent. We are still not out of the woods yet. We have had a cool March and April.”

In Kentucky, honey production totaled 190,000 pounds in 2017, down from 230,000 in 2016. Yield per colony averaged 38 pounds in 2017, down from 46.

In Michigan, production totaled 3.91 million pounds in 2017, down from 5.34 million in 2016. Yield per colony averaged 45 pounds in 2017, down from 60. In Ohio, production was 1.09 million pounds in 2017, down from 1.18 million in 2016, and yield per colony averaged 73 pounds in 2017, down from 79.

In Tennessee, production totaled 287,000 pounds in 2017, down from 330,000 in 2016. Yield per colony averaged 41 pounds in 2017, down from 55.

In addition, the report said United States honey prices increased 2 percent with five or more colonies during 2017 to $2.16 per pound, compared to $2.12 in 2016. National and state-level prices reflect the portions of honey sold through cooperatives, private and retail channels, with prices for each color class derived by weighting the quantities sold for each marketing channel.

“Prices for the 2016 crop reflect honey sold in 2016 and 2017,” the report stated. “Some 2016 crop honey was sold in 2017, which caused some revisions to the 2016 crop prices.”

For operations with five or more colonies, the report added, the average prices paid in 2017 for honeybee queens, packages and nucs (nucleus colonies or small honeybee colonies created from larger colonies) were $14, $76 and $107, respectively. “The average prices paid in 2017 for operations with less than five colonies were $34 per queen, $117 per package and $138 per nuc.”

4/18/2018