February 28, 2007

Wyoming Honey Production Up 48 Percent

Wyoming: Honey production during 2006 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 3.32 million pounds, up 48 percent from production in 2005, according to Kim Faircloth with the Wyoming Field Office of USDA NASS. Production in 2006 was 14 percent below the 1956 record production of 3.85 million pounds. There were 39,000 bee colonies in Wyoming during 2006 with an average production of 85 pounds per colony. In 2005, there were 40,000 colonies averaging 56 pounds per colony.

Honey stocks in Wyoming on December 15, 2006 totaled 497,000 pounds, up 71 percent from December 15, 2005. The average price received by producers for honey sold in 2006 was 88 cents per pound, up from 85 cents in 2005. The total value of production was $2.92 million, up 53 percent from 2005 and down 7 percent from 2004.

United States: Honey production in 2006 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 155 million pounds, down 11 percent from 2005. There were 2.39 million colonies producing honey in 2006, down 1 percent from 2005. Yield per colony averaged 64.7 pounds, down 11 percent from the 72.4 pounds in 2005. Colonies which produced honey in more than one State were counted in each State and yields per colony may therefore be understated. Colonies were not included if honey was not harvested.

Producer honey stocks were 60.5 million pounds on December 15, 2006, down 3 percent from a year earlier. Stocks held by producers exclude stocks held under the commodity loan program.

Honey prices increased during 2006 reaching 104.2 cents per pound, up 14 percent from 91.8 cents in 2005. Prices are based on retail sales by producers and sales to private processors and cooperatives. Honey prices for 2006 were up from the previous year for all color class totals.