Beekeeping in the USA
US beekeeping continues to amaze the world. The US beekeeping world is a world of contrasts. It is especially interesting to consider the industrial sector of American beekeeping, how large beekeeping farms are organized and function.
The US beekeeping industry does not stand still, but its rapid run is more like an attempt not to lose positions already taken. The beekeeping industry in the United States is undergoing technical re-equipment, introducing new methods and techniques for keeping bees. Many of these processes are rather contradictory and ambiguous. Beekeeping in the USA remains little known to many beekeepers on our continent, many know about it from established myths, so it is necessary to consider what is a myth and what is reality, and what can be adopted by beekeepers in other countries from US beekeepers.
Content
- US beekeeping leaders
- Beekeeping in the US states
- Bees in the USA
- US honey consumption
- Brief findings about US beekeeping
US beekeeping leaders
In which states do they keep bees in the USA? In the USA, there are bees in all states, even in Alaska, beekeepers maintain 10,000 bee colonies. But the distribution of bees in America is extremely uneven.
10 states: California, Florida, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Texas, Montana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Idaho produce over 90% of American honey. These same ten states are leaders in the supply of bees for garden and plantation pollination. States occupying 9th and 10th place periodically give way to their positions, the top three remain unchanged.
The top three California, Dakota and Texas own more than half of the US bees and produce approximately 40% of the country's honey. Especially a lot of honey is produced in North Dakota, as jokers say, in the summer you can go all over Dakota stepping from beehive to beehive. No wonder in some years this state produces 25% of all honey in the United States.
This state of affairs is of concern to experts, who believe that in the event of a sharp climate change, the US could lose most of its bees, which will affect agriculture as a whole.
In 2004, 25% of the US bee colonies were pollinated annually by their owners during the flowering period of the main honey plants along five main migration routes. The inviting companies paid $35-50 for one bee colony for 5-6 weeks in 2004. Gradually, the prices for pollination are rising, as well as the involvement of bee colonies. In 2020, bee rental prices have risen to $200 per colony, the involvement of bee colonies is rapidly approaching 80%, while the number of bee colonies involved in honey production is decreasing.
How many bees are in the USA?
US beekeeping characteristics for 2020
Honey production (thousand tons) 67.5
Stocks of unsold honey for 15 Dec. 18.1
Number of bee colonies (million) 2.71
Commercial honey production by an average bee colony (kg) 24.9
Income of beekeepers from pollination of crops (million dollars) 254
Income of beekeepers from the production of queens, wax, propolis and other bee products (million dollars) 55.8
Purchasing price of honey (USD/kg) 4.9
Average prices of queens, bee packages and nuclei (USD) 18; 84; 105
How has the number of bees in America changed by now?
US beekeeping characteristics for 2022
Honey production (thousand tons) 56.77
Stocks of unsold honey for 15 Dec. 10.5
Number of bee colonies (million) 2,667
Commercial honey production by an average bee colony (kg) 21.3
Income of beekeepers from pollination of crops (million dollars) 241
Income of beekeepers from the production of queens, wax, propolis and other bee products (USD million) 55.2
Purchase price of honey (USD/kg) 6.53
Average prices of queens, bee packages and nuclei (USD) 22, 98 and 129
Beekeeping in the US States
Beekeeping Ohio
Bees in the USA
When the Europeans settled on the continent, they brought their bees, initially they were dark forest bees, then Ligustica were brought from Italy, and later Caucasian and Krajina bees were also brought. At the end of the 20th century, Far Eastern bees were introduced - "Russian bees", which proved to be more resistant to varoatosis and the small hive beetle.
It must be said that there are enough breeders in the USA, and numerous crossbreeds and lines of bees adapted to the climate and the intended tasks (pollination) and other characteristics have already been obtained from imported breeds of bees.
A big problem for beekeeping was the northward movement of Africanized bees.
US honey consumption
Americans consume much less honey than Europeans: in 2004, only 1.18 pounds (534 grams) per person per year. Gradually, this figure is growing. In 2015, honey consumption per person was 811 grams, and in 2020 it is already 830 grams.
Overall, the US consumed 273,500 tons of honey in 2020, about two-thirds of which was imported, meaning US consumption has almost doubled over the past 35 years. In 2022, however, honey consumption dropped to a record low of 1.2 pounds of honey per person, or about 544 grams, the lowest level since 2012.
Brief Findings About US Beekeeping
Thus, we can say that US beekeeping relies on a powerful organizational, industrial, research and information base, which, on the whole, successfully performs its functions. However, there are a number of objective reasons hindering the development of the beekeeping industry in the United States.
It can be said that structural shifts are observed in US beekeeping - beekeepers are gradually transferring their apiaries from honey production to pollination, as well as to the production of queen bees and bees. There are several reasons for this, but not least it is the result of ecosystem degradation. US beekeepers directly say that the old beekeeping technologies are ineffective because there are no honey plants that previously provided a good honey flow. In some regions it is the result of climate change, in some it is human activity. Lack of sufficient honey base, along with growing imports of honey. forces beekeepers to engage in pollination as a new source of income, as beekeepers say - pollination cannot be imported.
Beekeeping has become very costly. The costs of queen bees, packages of bees, wages, transportation of bees have increased, the costs of which have not been before.
For example, the high cost of labor in the United States. One hour of work of a worker in American agriculture, including beekeeping, is much higher than in China and even more so in Africa. Therefore, beekeepers are forced to hire workers from Latin America to reduce costs.
At the same time, productivity in US beekeeping is falling. One beekeeper can no longer serve 1,000 bee colonies.
To save bees in industrial apiaries employed in pollination, the cost of treating bees has significantly increased, if earlier they carried out treatments once a year, now they have to be treated 5-6 times a year with various preparations, and this is only against the varroa mite, and in the USA there is a significant danger represents the tracheal tick and the small hive beetle, other diseases are also on the alert.
In industrial apiaries, they are forced to largely feed bees with syrup and protein feed, which they did not do before at all. The reason has already been mentioned above - climate change and honey base.
In the last decade, there has been a significant annual death of bee colonies in the range of 40-51%, in some states the death of bee colonies can reach 58% per season, while the total number of colonies does not decrease, which indicates the high costs of beekeepers to restore their apiaries. It is important to note that factors such as varroatosis, bad queens, starvation of bees hold the palm for the reasons for the death of bee colonies. These problems are typical for both professionals and amateur beekeepers. Among amateur beekeepers, adverse weather conditions, pesticides, and lack of pollen are no less factors in the death of bees.
For professional beekeepers, an additional cost is the hiring of apiary guards during migrations due to the increased cases of theft of hives with bees during pollination.
Serious difficulties for US beekeepers have created restrictions resulting from the pandemic.
The consequence of this is that US beekeepers are losing the battle for the American honey market to foreign competitors, and exporters are losing ground in the global honey market.
