Honey ISSN: 1949-1492 Released March 21, 2014, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Honey Production Up 5 Percent Honey production in 2013 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 149 million pounds, up 5 percent from 2012. There were 2.64 million colonies producing honey in 2013, up 4 percent from 2012. Yield per colony averaged 56.6 pounds, up 1 percent from the 56.0 pounds in 2012. 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 38.2 million pounds on December 15, 2013, up 20 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 2013 to 212.1 cents per pound, up 6 percent from 199.2 cents per pound in 2012. 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 2012 crop reflect honey sold in 2012 and 2013. Some 2012 crop honey was sold in 2013, which caused some revisions to the 2012 crop prices. Honey Price by Color Class - United States: 2012 and 2013 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Price :----------------------------------------------------------------------- Color class : Co-op and private : Retail : All :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : cents per pound : Water white, extra white, white ...: 192.3 211.2 323.9 313.6 194.2 212.6 : Extra light amber .................: 195.4 203.4 303.5 333.4 200.2 207.6 : Light amber, amber, dark amber ....: 183.0 194.1 352.4 393.9 205.8 214.0 : All other honey, area specialties .: 213.4 219.0 519.5 471.2 281.6 241.1 : All honey .........................: 191.3 204.7 348.0 373.5 199.2 212.1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Colonies, Yield, Production, Stocks, Price, and Value - States and United States: 2012 [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 ..............: 8 54 432 65 247 1,067 Arizona ..............: 22 46 1,012 253 179 1,811 Arkansas .............: 25 63 1,575 189 198 3,119 California ...........: 330 35 11,550 3,119 194 22,407 Colorado .............: 25 48 1,200 468 207 2,484 Florida ..............: 193 64 12,352 1,235 184 22,728 Georgia ..............: 59 51 3,009 181 192 5,777 Hawaii ...............: 10 75 750 263 415 3,113 Idaho ................: 92 32 2,944 530 163 4,799 Illinois .............: 7 61 427 145 355 1,516 : Indiana ..............: 8 59 472 203 254 1,199 Iowa .................: 37 61 2,257 1,196 217 4,898 Kansas ...............: 6 55 330 125 228 752 Kentucky .............: 5 51 255 41 315 803 Louisiana ............: 41 86 3,526 141 183 6,453 Maine ................: 4 34 136 24 239 325 Michigan .............: 73 57 4,161 1,332 203 8,447 Minnesota ............: 125 67 8,375 1,591 192 16,080 Mississippi ..........: 18 118 2,124 64 177 3,759 Missouri .............: 7 53 371 108 280 1,039 : Montana ..............: 145 52 7,540 2,413 195 14,703 Nebraska .............: 43 65 2,795 1,146 193 5,394 New Jersey ...........: 14 33 462 51 197 910 New Mexico ...........: 5 52 260 99 339 881 New York .............: 51 51 2,601 988 223 5,800 North Carolina .......: 13 39 507 106 376 1,906 North Dakota .........: 480 69 33,120 5,962 192 63,590 Ohio .................: 18 60 1,080 410 246 2,657 Oregon ...............: 60 32 1,920 845 216 4,147 Pennsylvania .........: 16 60 960 269 257 2,467 : South Dakota .........: 260 63 16,380 3,604 195 31,941 Tennessee ............: 6 61 366 59 293 1,072 Texas ................: 92 52 4,784 718 200 9,568 Utah .................: 25 38 950 209 187 1,777 Vermont ..............: 4 60 240 53 239 574 Virginia .............: 4 41 164 23 377 618 Washington ...........: 62 41 2,542 1,017 238 6,050 West Virginia ........: 6 48 288 95 291 838 Wisconsin ............: 60 69 4,140 1,863 205 8,487 Wyoming ..............: 50 51 2,550 459 187 4,769 : Other States 5/ 6/ ...: 30 46 1,389 167 311 4,320 : United States 6/ 7/ ..: 2,539 56.0 142,296 31,829 199.2 283,454 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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, 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: 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 55 281 1,023 Arizona ..............: 29 36 1,044 251 189 1,973 Arkansas .............: 22 60 1,320 66 201 2,653 California ...........: 330 33 10,890 2,505 210 22,869 Colorado .............: 26 43 1,118 324 210 2,348 Florida ..............: 220 61 13,420 1,074 204 27,377 Georgia ..............: 67 50 3,350 637 224 7,504 Hawaii ...............: 13 83 1,079 65 198 2,136 Idaho ................: 83 32 2,656 1,036 201 5,339 Illinois .............: 7 48 336 101 415 1,394 : Indiana ..............: 6 47 282 82 267 753 Iowa .................: 39 48 1,872 1,217 254 4,755 Kansas ...............: 6 46 276 39 255 704 Kentucky .............: 3 41 123 17 302 371 Louisiana ............: 50 98 4,900 490 183 8,967 Maine ................: 7 43 301 27 303 912 Michigan .............: 85 55 4,675 982 213 9,958 Minnesota ............: 130 58 7,540 1,282 197 14,854 Mississippi ..........: 17 116 1,972 39 185 3,648 Missouri .............: 10 47 470 85 253 1,189 : Montana ..............: 159 94 14,946 5,231 208 31,088 Nebraska .............: 46 60 2,760 1,628 206 5,686 New Jersey ...........: 11 44 484 34 389 1,883 New York .............: 55 48 2,640 1,030 199 5,254 North Carolina .......: 10 38 380 84 363 1,379 North Dakota .........: 480 69 33,120 6,955 204 67,565 Ohio .................: 17 45 765 390 321 2,456 Oregon ...............: 62 35 2,170 456 229 4,969 Pennsylvania .........: 13 45 585 257 298 1,743 South Dakota .........: 265 56 14,840 6,381 206 30,570 : Tennessee ............: 7 45 315 63 358 1,128 Texas ................: 106 59 6,254 1,689 212 13,258 Utah .................: 30 34 1,020 92 207 2,111 Vermont ..............: 3 51 153 46 331 506 Virginia .............: 5 35 175 42 423 740 Washington ...........: 69 39 2,691 1,023 221 5,947 West Virginia ........: 6 46 276 83 356 983 Wisconsin ............: 59 60 3,540 1,558 231 8,177 Wyoming ..............: 47 66 3,102 558 211 6,545 : Other States 5/ 6/ ...: 33 39 1,295 186 417 5,400 : United States 6/ 7/ ..: 2,640 56.6 149,499 38,160 212.1 317,087 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: Data for honey producing operations are collected from a stratified sample of all known producers with five or more colonies. Individual NASS 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 1.2 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 2.64 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] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 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 .....: 1.2 2.2 19 - 85 6 3 : Honey production .............: 1.3 2.4 1,193 - 4,796 5 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 nass@nass.usda.gov Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch .................................. (202) 720-3570 Bruce Boess, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ........... (202) 720-4447 David Colwell - Cold Storage, Honey ................................. (202) 720-8784 Dawn Keen - Egg Products ............................................ (202) 720-4448 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 Miste Salmon - Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery ................... (202) 720-3244 Vacant - Catfish Production, Trout Production, Mink ................. (202) 720-0585 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. To set-up this free subscription, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov and in the "Follow NASS" box under "Receive reports by Email," click on "National" or "State" to select the reports you would like to receive. 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: nass@nass.usda.gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.