LUBBOCK, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — Texas honey production dropped sharply in 2025, but smaller beekeepers across the state are reporting stronger yields, creating a mixed outlook for the industry. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows commercial producers generated 2.1 million pounds of honey, down from 4 million pounds the previous year.
According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the decline is largely tied to ongoing colony health challenges, including varroa mites and the viruses they spread. Nationwide, beekeepers lost roughly 62% of colonies, contributing to reduced production and tighter supplies.
Despite those losses, smaller-scale operations reported more stable results. An AgriLife Extension survey found many small producers harvested between 20 and 40 pounds per colony, matching or exceeding commercial averages in some regions. Favorable rainfall and strong wildflower blooms in East, North, and West Texas helped support those gains.
Higher prices have followed lower production, with Texas honey averaging $3.91 per pound, up significantly from the prior year. AgriLife Extension continues its research and outreach efforts, including beekeeper training and colony health programs, to improve long-term production across the state.
Seasonal price patterns can inform soybean marketing timing, particularly when harvest prices appear unusually strong or weak.
February 09, 2026 10:30 AM
·
Low prices are painful now, but production response could support stronger milk markets later in 2026.
February 09, 2026 10:25 AM
·
Texas cowboy chef and host of RFD Network’s Twisted Skillet, Sean Koehler, shares an elote-style street corn dip just in time for Super Bowl Sunday. This skillet-cooked corn dish combines open-fire cooking and bold regional flavors for a delicious twist on Mexican Street Corn.
February 06, 2026 04:50 PM
·
The USDA’s February WASDE report looms as the CME Ag Economy Barometer shows declining farmer confidence, and more ag industry groups calling for swift policy action.
February 06, 2026 04:18 PM
·
Danny Munch of the American Farm Bureau joined us to discuss USDA’s latest farm income forecast, revisions to prior estimates, and what the updated data means for farmers heading into 2026.
February 06, 2026 12:27 PM
·
Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX), who sits on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, spoke exclusively with RFD NEWS about what Congress is doing to address screwworm concerns, including funding for a sterile fly production facility in Mexico.
February 06, 2026 12:07 PM
·
