Honey Breaks Consumer Demand Record While Domestic Production Declines
March 24, 2023
A recent USDA report on the status of sweeteners shows that demand for honey in the US has never been higher. A boost from pandemic pantry-buying and honey’s status as a natural sweetener that is considered a healthier option have contributed to this trend. At the same time, domestic honey production has trended downwards, meaning imported honey is filling the gap.
Any consumer can use the National Honey Boards local honey finder tool to find a source of honey from a beekeeper near you. Buying local honey not only supports the local beekeeper but it reduces the carbon footprint of the purchase by cutting the distance that honey had to traveled to your door. Consumers of local honey can be 100% sure of where the honey was produced, and they might even be enjoying a unique local varietal.
There are many efforts to increase the amount of high quality forage and habitat for honey bees and other pollinators that are targeted to help reverse the downward trend in honey production in the years to come, and help beekeepers to meet the record demand! The Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund is one example of engineering highly effective and supportive habitat in the midwest where most US honey is produced.
