U.S. bee hive numbers increased but honey production dropped in 2024, according to a USDA report.

“That’s a trend that’s been going on for years and years as agriculture changes,” said Tim Hiatt, a Washington State Beekeepers Association board member.

Colony losses have resulted in beekeepers dividing hives more aggressively, he said.

“There are more hives on paper, but they’re not as strong as they would have been,” Hiatt added.

Heat waves and drought also contributed to the production dip, experts said.

Honey prices increased overall in 2024, however, leading to slight value gains.

Honey Integrity Act

The Honey Integrity Act, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives March 13, could bring pricing help.

“The biggest problem is this constant importation of foreign honey,” said Ryan Burris, California State Beekeepers Association president.

Experts said honey of dubious quality, mostly from Asia, has flooded the U.S. and pushed prices down.

The bill requires a definition and standard for honey and creates enforcement actions against fraudulent and adulterated products.

Steven Coy, president of the American Honey Producers Association, said in a statement that the legislation will “help level the playing field for honest American beekeepers who have had to compete against adulterated products for too many years.”

National honey data

U.S. honey production hit 134 million pounds in 2024, down 4% from the previous year. Prices increased 5% to $2.69.

The value of America’s honey crop edged higher to $361.5 million, up 1.6%.

Roughly 2.6 million colonies produced honey, up 3%.

Yield per colony averaged 51.7 pounds, down 6%.

Pollination income was $226 million, down 11%.

Other income from honey bees was $51.3 million, also down 11%.

Hiatt cautioned that USDA data, based on surveys, illustrated larger trends but might be incomplete.

California

California had 13.3 million pounds of honey, down 2% from 2023.

That was the nation’s second largest total and represented 10% of U.S. production.

The value of California’s production increased 4.9% to $32.8 million.

Price per pound was $2.46, up from $2.29 in 2023.

Colonies dropped to 310,000, down 4.6%, while yield per colony increased 2% to 43 pounds.

Oregon

Oregon produced 2.9 million pounds of honey, down 14% from 2023.

The value of production dropped 15.5% to $7.7 million, with the price per pound unchanged at $2.71.

Colonies dropped 7% to 84,000 and yield per colony dipped 8% to 34 pounds.

Idaho

Idaho production declined 15% to 2.5 million pounds, and production value dropped 5% to $5.2 million.

The average price per pound increased from $1.84 to $2.06.

Colonies increased 24% to 114,000 but yield per colony dropped 31% to 22 pounds.

Washington

Washington’s honey production hit 2.2 million pounds, down 4%.

The value of production reached $5.9 million, up 3%, as the price per pound rose from $2.53 to $2.71.

Colonies dropped 13% to 72,000, but yield per colony increased 11% to 30 pounds.