Which State Produces The Most Honey In The US?

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For thousands of years, honey has been one of humanity's favorite sweet treats. Skilled beekeepers have harnessed once-wild honeybees to create vast amounts of the sweet, syrupy substance for our consumption. As with many animal and agricultural commodities, honey production isn't spread equally across the country. One state stands far above the rest when it comes to the sheer amount of honey it produces: North Dakota.

In 2024, USDA data showed that North Dakota harvested 36.3 million pounds of honey — more than a quarter of all American honey production. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) values this titanic amount at $67.4 million. Although this is more than 20 million pounds ahead of the next closest competitor, it's actually a slight decline from the early to mid-2010s, when the state's production topped 40 million pounds per year on a couple of occasions. Still, North Dakota remains near its all-time highs in terms of its share of the domestic honey market.

Agricultural powerhouse California (which grows nearly all of the world's almonds) and South Dakota are tied for second place. At 13.3 million pounds apiece, each state accounts for a roughly 10% share of American honey production. Even combined, that's still less than North Dakota on its own.

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Honey is nothing new in North Dakota. It's been the leading producer of American honey since 2003, dominating not just production numbers, but the beekeeping industry overall. In a typical North Dakota summer, the combination of warm days and cool nights yields high amounts of plant nectar, the substance later transformed into honey. It also benefits from relatively large amounts of open, unfarmed space, even compared to its neighbors. This lessens the negative impacts of pesticides and other issues that come with large-scale agricultural production. The state takes the beekeeping industry seriously. Traveling inspectors are tasked with examining hives for pests, diseases, and other habitat factors. 

As impressive as North Dakota is on the domestic honey front, it's vital to keep things in context globally. China is the top honey producing country in the world, tripling the production of second-place India and putting out over seven times more than the United States. Despite the best efforts of North Dakota and other states, the U.S. imported more honey in 2024 than ever before, from India, likely China, and other top global producers, like Turkey and Argentina.

Next time you're preparing one of the honey-based recipes guaranteed to add a little sweetness to your day, spare a thought for the hardworking bees of the Peace Garden State. They've helped power North Dakota to a notable spot for providing a beloved ingredient we should never take for granted.