Bee Culture Magazine’s annual computation of U. S. per capita consumption of honey was published today, based on data obtained from USDA NASS, USDA AMS, The Farm Service Agency, and The Census Bureau. The NASS data for 2015 can be found at http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/Hone/Hone-03-22-2016.pdf , the 2015 July census data is at https://www.census.gov/popest/data/national/totals/2015/files/NA-EST2015-01.csv, and import figures are at http://search.ams.usda.gov/mndms/2016/02/FV20160217MHONEY.PDF#xml=http://search.ams.usda.gov/mnsearch/hiliteinfo.aspx?i=2&docid=FV20160217MHONEY.PDF
Consumption is computed by calculating how much honey came into the US during 2015 which includes both in-country production and imports, then figuring how much left the U.S. or wasn’t used, which includes exports, stocks left over and still in warehouses, and honey put under loan and not removed, which leaves total consumption for the year. Then, using the U. S. Resident population as of July 1, 2015 (this July date is used each year to standardize the figure), consumption is divided by population for the per person consumption for the year.
The per capita consumption, using these figures, has been calculated by Bee Culture for many years and will be published in the May issue of that magazine, along with a host of other honey production, use and marketing data, both supplied and analyzed by Bee Culture staff.
Per Capita honey consumption and the average price of all honey in the U. S. for the following years:
2010 – 1.2 pounds/person, @ $160.3/lb
2011 – 1.27 pounds/person, @$172.9/lb
2012 – 1.26 pounds/person@$195.1/lb
2013 – 1.44 pounds/person@$212.6/lb
2014 – 1.55 pounds/person@$217.3/lb
2015 – 1.51 pounds/ person@209.0/lb
2015 consumption was calculated by adding imported honey – 387.9 million pounds, plus U.S. production from all colonies (5+ and fewer than 5 colonies {new this year}) of 155.2 million pounds for a total of 543.1 million pounds. From that total, exports of 11.2 million pounds, stocks held over of 42.2 million pounds and 5 million pounds held under loan and not yet recalled are deducted for total of 486.5 million pounds consumed in the U.S. in 2015, which 80% is imported. That total is then divided by the U.S. population of 321.4 million people for a per capita consumption of 1.51 pounds of honey consumed by every person in the U. S. in 2015, of which 1.2 pounds is imported.
