USDA NASS 2022 Ag Census Sparks Debate Over Honey Bee Inhabitants Reporting

California, April 9, 2024 – The USDA NASS 2022 Ag Census reported a document excessive 3.8 million honey bee colonies in the US, a rise of 25% during the last bi decade census. Nevertheless, these USDA numbers straight contradict the identical company’s personal yearly honey report and honey bee report. These studies estimate honey bee inhabitants numbers between 2.5 and a couple of.9 million colonies respectively for the very same 12 months (2022), and have constantly reported honey bee colonies in that vary for years.

Some media shops have recommended that the newest numbers outcome from an increase in beekeeping recognition as a passion in each rural and concrete areas. The truth is that hobbyists make up roughly 95% of the entire variety of beekeepers however solely handle 7% of the entire variety of colonies based on the 2022 Nationwide Colony Loss and Administration (BIP 2022). Thus, this clarification just isn’t doubtless.

The discrepancies are extra doubtless because of a mixture of things. First, the 5-year Ag Census methodology consists of surveying farms which “host” colonies, however aren’t essentially beekeeping operations themselves. Beekeepers and their business honey bee colonies are migratory, that means they’re hosted on completely different lands and sometimes by completely different land homeowners all year long. Surveying host farms might subsequently lead to double and even triple counting the identical colonies. For instance, it isn’t uncommon for a beekeeper to winter his honey bee colonies in Mississippi, transfer them to California for almond pollination in February and produce honey with those self same colonies in the summertime in North Dakota.

Second, USDA NASS confirmed that this Ag Census had a low response price, leading to the usage of adjustment elements to extrapolate outcomes. Whereas it’s unclear how these changes impacted the outcomes, it might contribute to the substantial discrepancies relative to annual surveys which have extra sturdy and dependable participation by business beekeepers.

Whatever the causes for these discrepancies, various issues stay true for business beekeepers. Colonies out there for business pollination (the bees essential to pollinate our nation’s specialty crops) haven’t materially elevated over the previous decade regardless of substantial financial demand for them. Honey manufacturing has additionally continued to say no in each absolute numbers and in per-colony numbers during the last 3 years (NASS Honey Report 2020, 2021, 2022). But market demand for honey has elevated exponentially. And eventually and most relevantly, beekeepers proceed to lose between 30-50% of their colonies annually for the reason that early a part of the century. That is confirmed by each the annual USDA NASS honey bee report and the Bee Knowledgeable Partnership Nationwide Loss and Administration Survey performed since 2008. Put merely, if America’s beekeepers have been capable of develop colony numbers by 25% in 5 years, they might have. The financial incentive is there in pollination contracts and honey gross sales alone. And if they’d certainly expanded honey bee colony numbers by 25%, wouldn’t the honey studies and pollination contracts information present it?

“Over the previous 10-plus years, most beekeepers’ enterprise technique has targeted on making up for the earlier 12 months’s losses and getting forward of subsequent 12 months’s predicted outcomes. It’s almost unattainable to make up for the losses, a lot much less enhance the colony depend”, says Chris Hiatt, President of the American Honey Producers Affiliation (AHPA) and proprietor of Hiatt Honey Firm.

Researchers have recognized a number of interacting elements that contribute to excessive losses. They embody panorama use and lack of obtainable forage, elevated pesticide publicity, the Varroa destructor mite, and different pests and pathogens. Moreover, current local weather traits and excessive climate patterns lead to compounded antagonistic results on forage and/or bee exercise.

“U.S. beekeepers rebuild their colony numbers 12 months after 12 months, battling growing operational prices and low honey costs, in order that they’ll pollinate crops and guarantee meals safety for the nation” provides Chris Hiatt.

As the talk over honey bee populations continues to unfold, it’s crucial to acknowledge the struggles and invaluable contributions of beekeepers and prioritize efforts to assist their very important function in agricultural ecosystems.

American Honey Producers Affiliation
For extra info contact
Anne Marie Fauvel
Program Director
annemarie@ahpanet.com

References
The USDA NASS 2022 Ag Census –
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/#full_report

USDA NASS (2022) Honey (March 2022). ISSN: 1949-1492. Obtainable at:
https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usdaesmis/information/hd76s004z/7m01cp956/df65wc389/hony0322.pdf

USDA NASS (2022) Honey Bee (August 2022) Obtainable at:
https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/information/rn301137d/kh04fx05c/qb98nn582/hcny0822.pdf

Andrew VanDam, Columnist, Division of Knowledge, Washington Submit,
Andrew.VanDam@washpost.com

The Bee Knowledgeable Partnership, Colony Loss and Administration Survey
https://beeinformed.org/citizen-science/loss-and-management-survey/

Steinhauer, N., Aurell, D., Bruckner, S., Wilson, M., Rennich, Okay., vanEngelsdorp, D., Williams, G., for the Bee Knowledgeable Partnership (2021). United States Honey Bee Colony Losses 2020-2021: Preliminary Outcomes.
https://beeinformed.org/wpcontent/uploads/2021/06/BIP_2020_21_Losses_Abstract_2021.06.14_FINAL_R1.pdf (Accessed 14 July 2022).

Bruckner, S., Wilson, M., Aurell, D., Rennich, Okay., vanEngelsdorp, D., Steinhauer, N., & Williams, G. R. (2023). A nationwide survey of managed honey bee colony losses within the USA: outcomes from the Bee Knowledgeable Partnership for 2017–18, 2018–19, and 2019–20. Journal of Apicultural Analysis, 62(3), 429–443. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2022.2158586

Chris Hiatt, American Honey Producers Affiliation President, chris@ahpanet.com