URBANA, Ill. (RFD NEWS) — Honey bee colony numbers may look stable, but University of Illinois farmdoc economists say beekeepers are spending heavily just to maintain inventories, with many U.S. beekeepers replacing and renovating colonies fast enough to offset large annual losses.
Since 2008, beekeepers have reported losing about 41 percent of colonies per year on average. Even so, U.S. colony numbers rebounded from 2.34 million in 2008 to about 2.6 million in recent years.
That stability comes at a cost. Beekeepers buy feed, pest treatments, and replacement colonies while also splitting and renovating existing hives. Varroa mites remain the leading reported stressor, affecting nearly half of colonies during April through June.
Those costs matter beyond honey production. Many specialty crops, including almonds, apples, and sunflowers, depend on managed pollination services. Higher colony losses can raise pressure on pollination availability and pricing.
The farmdoc authors estimate 2024 colony stock losses at roughly $175 million, with rebuilding and renovation costs near $161 million.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Stable bee numbers do not equate to low risk, as beekeepers are spending more to maintain pollination capacity.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
READ MORE: https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/
Jed Bower, the incoming president of the National Corn Growers Association, joined us for his sector’s perspective on the ongoing government shutdown.
October 08, 2025 11:41 AM
·
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last week said an announcement would be made on Tuesday. However, that self-imposed deadline has now passed.
October 08, 2025 11:19 AM
·
Dr. Todd Davis, Chief Economist with the Indiana Farm Bureau, shares a snapshot of his state’s harvest conditions and insights from producers.
October 07, 2025 02:37 PM
·
Congress has just over a month of working days left for the year. Plan for uneven USDA service until funding is restored, and closely monitor Farm Bill talks, as avoiding Permanent Law before January 1 is the single biggest risk to markets and milk prices.
October 07, 2025 11:09 AM
·
Despite tariffs having a less significant impact on exports, corn producers struggle with tariff-related increases on inputs, which complicates their bottom line.
October 06, 2025 01:13 PM
·
Jack Daniel’s will end its Cow Feeder Program, which served around 100 livestock operations near the distillery, and redirect spent grains to its anaerobic digester.
October 06, 2025 12:33 PM
·
