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Ag stats: 2019 honey production summary for the USDA mountain states region

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ARIZONA 

Arizona honey production in 2019 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 1.06 million pounds, up 16 percent from 2018. There were 23,000 colonies producing honey in 2019, down 4 percent from 2018. Yield per colony averaged 46 pounds, up 21 percent from the 38 pounds in 2018. Producer honey stocks were 201,000 pounds on December 15, 2019, up 84 percent from a year earlier. Arizona honey prices decreased during 2019 to $1.97 per pound, down 35 percent from $3.01 per pound in 2018. 

COLORADO 

Colorado honey production in 2019 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 1.47 million pounds, down 1 percent from 2018. There were 32,000 colonies producing honey in 2019, up 3 percent from 2018. Yield per colony averaged 46 pounds, down 4 percent from the 48 pounds in 2017. Producer honey stocks were 500,000 pounds on December 15, 2019, up 77 percent from a year earlier. Colorado honey prices increased during 2019 to $2.14 per pound, up 4 percent from $2.05 per pound in 2018. 

MONTANA 

Montana honey production in 2019 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 14.88 million pounds, up 1 percent from 2018. There were 173,000 colonies producing honey in 2019, up 8 percent from 2018. Yield per colony averaged 86 pounds, down 7 percent from the 92 pounds in 2018. Producer honey stocks were 5.80 million pounds on December 15, 2019, up 58 percent from a year earlier. Montana honey prices decreased during 2019 to $1.48 per pound, down 22 percent from $1.90 cents per pound in 2018. 

NEW MEXICO 

New Mexico bee and honey estimates were not published separately to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 

UTAH 

Utah honey production in 2019 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 638,000 pounds, down 40 percent from 2018. There were 22,000 colonies producing honey in 2019, down 15 percent from 2018. Yield per colony averaged 29 pounds, down 29 percent from the 41 pounds in 2018. Producer honey stocks were 89,000 pounds on December 15, 2019, up 19 percent from a year earlier. Utah honey prices decreased during 2019 to $2.06 per pound, down 1 percent from $2.10 cents per pound in 2018. 

WYOMING 

Wyoming honey production in 2019 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 2.18 million pounds, unchanged from 2018. There were 39,000 colonies producing honey in 2019, unchanged from 2018. Yield per colony averaged 56 pounds, unchanged from 2018. Producer honey stocks were 306,000 pounds on December 15, 2019, up 75 percent from a year earlier. Wyoming honey prices decreased during 2019 to $1.35 per pound, down 29 percent from $1.91 per pound in 2018.

UNITED STATES 

United States honey production in 2019 totaled 157 million pounds, up 2 percent from 2018. There were 2.81 million colonies producing honey in 2019, down 1 percent from 2018. Yield per colony averaged 55.8 pounds, up 2 percent from the 54.5 pounds in 2018. 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 41.0 million pounds on December 15, 2019, up 40 percent from a year earlier. Stocks held by producers exclude those held under the commodity loan program. 

United States honey prices decreased 11 percent during 2019 to $1.97 per pound, compared to $2.21 per pound in 2018. 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 2018 crop reflect honey sold in 2018 and 2019. Some 2018 crop honey was sold in 2019, which caused some revisions to the 2018 crop prices. 

The average prices paid in 2019 for honey bee queens, packages, and nucs were $18, $85, and $100 respectively. Pollination income for 2019 was $310 million, up 3 percent from 2018. Other income from honey bees in 2019 was $77.7 million, down 18 percent from 2018. These estimates along with expenditure and apiary worker information can be found on page 4 of this report.