About the Honey Industry

HOBBYISTS AND PART-TIME BEEKEEPERS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates there are between 139,600 and 212,000 beekeepers in the United States. The vast majority (95 percent) are hobbyists with fewer than 25 hives
and about 4 percent are part-timers who keep from 25 to 299 hives. Together, hobbyists and part-timers account for about 50 percent of bee colonies and about 40 percent of honey produced. The number of U.S. bee colonies producing honey in 2005 was 2.41 million (based on beekeepers who manage five or more colonies).

COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPERS

Commercial beekeepers are those with 300 or more bee colonies. There are approximately 1,600 commercial beekeeping operations in the United States, which produce about 60 percent of the nation’s honey. Many commercial beekeepers migrate their colonies during the year to provide pollination services to farmers. Commercial beekeeping operations are frequently family businesses that are handed down from generation to generation.

HONEY PRODUCTION

From 2001–2005, U.S. honey production averaged approximately 180 million pounds per year.

CONSUMPTION

The U.S. consumes more than 400 million pounds of honey each year. U.S. per capita consumption of honey is around 1.29 pounds per year.

RENTING BEES FOR POLLINATION

The practice of renting bees to pollinate crops is expanding. Most pollination services available to growers in the United States are provided by commercial beekeepers. Approximately 2,500,000 colonies are rented for pollination each year and the average value of crops pollinated is over $5.7 billion dollars.

AGRICULTURE’S DEPENDENCE

Millions of acres of U.S. fruit, vegetable, oilseed and legume seed crops depend on insect pollination, including honey bees. A 1999 Cornell University study concluded that the direct value of honey bee pollination annually to U.S. agriculture is $14.6 billion. This is a 56.7 percent increase from $9.3 billion, determined by the same study in 1989. USDA estimates that 80 percent of insect crop pollination is accomplished by honey bees. Approximately one-third of the total human diet is derived directly or indirectly from insectpollinated plants.

CROP DEPENDENCE

The almond crop is entirely dependent on honey bee pollination—without honey bees, there would be no almonds. California produces more than half of the world’s almonds. In
recent years, almond pollination in California has required more than one million bees. Numerous other crops are 90 percent dependent on honey bee pollination, including apples, avocados, blueberries, cherries, cranberries and sunflowers. Other crops such as alfalfa, cucumbers, kiwi fruit, melons and vegetables are also pollinated by honey bees.

LIVESTOCK FEED

The production of most beef and dairy products consumed in the United States is dependent on insect-pollinated legumes (alfalfa, clover, etc.). Approximately 220,000 colonies of honey bees are used to pollinate alfalfa fields for seed production.