Wisconsin Ag Connection - Wisconsin Honey Output Down in 2016

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Wisconsin Honey Output Down in 2016
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 03/23/2017

Honey production from producers with five or more colonies in Wisconsin totaled 3.35 million pounds in 2016, a four percent decrease from the 3.48 million pounds harvested in 2015. According to the USDA, the number of honey producing colonies in the state rose from 52,000 colonies to 54,000 colonies last year. This number does not include producers with fewer than five colonies or producers who did not harvest a crop.

Yield per colony in the Badger State averaged 62 pounds, down from 67 pounds per colony a year earlier. Wisconsin ranked 12th in the U.S. in honey production during the past harvest season.

As of mid-December, producer honey stocks in Wisconsin, excluding stocks under government loan programs, were 1.21 million pounds, a 25 percent decrease from 2015. The state's 2016 honey crop was valued at $8.17 million, down four percent from the previous year's $8.47 million. The average price per pound for all marketing channels in Wisconsin was $2.44, up a penny from last year.

Nationally, last year's honey production was 162 million pounds, up three percent from 2015. There were 2.78 million colonies from which honey was harvested, up four percent from 2015. Yield of honey harvested per colony averaged 58.3 pounds, down slightly from the previous season.

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