Farm Progress

Production was up 5 percent in 2015 even with declining colony numbers.

March 28, 2016

1 Min Read

Honey production from producers with five or more colonies in Minnesota totaled 8.30 million pounds in 2015 according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Honey Report.

This was a 5% increase from the 7.92 million pounds produced in 2014. The number of honey-producing colonies in the state declined from 132,000 colonies in 2014 to 122,000 colonies in 2015.

Yield per colony in Minnesota averaged 68 pounds, up from 60 pounds per colony in 2014.

Minnesota moved to sixth place nationally in honey production, up from seventh place in 2014.

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On December 15, 2015, producer honey stocks in Minnesota, excluding stocks under government loan programs, were 2.16 million pounds, a 51% increase from 2014.

The state’s 2015 honey crop was valued at $15.2 million, down 7% from the previous year’s $16.3 million.

The average price per pound for all marketing channels in Minnesota was $1.83, down 23 cents from 2014.

United States honey production in 2015 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 157 million pounds, down 12% from 2014. There were 2.66 million colonies from which honey was harvested in 2015, down 3% from 2014.

Yield of honey harvested per colony averaged 58.9 pounds, down 10% from the 65.1 pounds in 2014.

U.S. honey prices decreased during 2015 to 209.0 cents per pound, down 4% from a record high of 217.3 cents per pound in 2014.

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