Top Honey Producing States in the US: The Latest USDA Ranking
The top honey producing states in the US are not always the ones people expect. North Dakota makes more honey than any other state by a wide margin, and the northern Great Plains as a whole dominate the list. This guide shares the latest USDA ranking, explains why the Plains lead, and shows where New York, the home of most of our honeys, fits in.
Top 10 honey producing states (2025)
Figures are for producers with five or more colonies, in thousands of pounds, from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
| Rank | State | Honey produced (1,000 lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 30,820 |
| 2 | California | 11,025 |
| 3 | Montana | 10,455 |
| 4 | South Dakota | 8,200 |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,650 |
| 6 | Michigan | 3,738 |
| 7 | Florida | 3,616 |
| 8 | Louisiana | 3,286 |
| 9 | Idaho | 3,016 |
| 10 | New York | 2,912 |
| United States total | 115,716 |
Why North Dakota leads
North Dakota's summers bring huge stretches of clover, alfalfa, canola and sunflower, and few big cities. Many commercial beekeepers bring their hives there each summer for the honey flow, then truck them to California in winter to pollinate almonds. That migratory pattern is a big reason the northern Plains states top the honey rankings, even though many of the beekeepers are based elsewhere.
Our Knotweed honey comes from North Dakota, a dark, full-bodied late-season honey from partner beekeepers there.
California: honey and pollination
California ranks second in honey but is first in pollination. Each year, a large share of the country's managed honey bee colonies travel to California's Central Valley for the almond bloom in February and March. California's honey comes from citrus, sage, wildflowers, eucalyptus and other crops; see eucalyptus honey and avocado honey.
New York's place in honey
New York ranked tenth in 2025, with about 2.9 million pounds from about 52,000 colonies. Its 56 pounds per colony beat the national average of 48, and New York honey sold for an average of about $5.14 a pound, well above the US average of $3.05, reflecting a strong market for local and specialty honey. New York's mix of clover, basswood, wildflowers, goldenrod and buckwheat gives it a wide range of honeys; see our New York honey guide.
Most Al Safa honeys, including Pure Raw Honey, Clover and Buckwheat, are harvested in New York State by our partner beekeepers. Our Orange Blossom honey comes from Florida, the seventh-ranked state.
The national picture
US beekeepers with five or more colonies managed about 2.4 million honey-producing colonies in 2025, averaging 48 pounds each. Production changes from year to year with weather, drought and colony health. US production is far smaller than US consumption, so much of the honey Americans eat is imported; see where does honey come from.
Why the ranking matters to shoppers
Knowing where honey is produced helps you read labels. A jar that names a state and a flower source tells you much more than one labeled only as a product of several countries. Look for the country of origin on any honey label, and see honey labels explained for what the other terms mean.
Sources
- Honey report · USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
Frequently asked questions
- Which state produces the most honey?
- North Dakota, with about 30.8 million pounds in 2025, according to the USDA.
- How much honey does the US produce?
- About 115.7 million pounds in 2025 from producers with five or more colonies.
- Where does New York rank in honey production?
- Tenth in 2025, with about 2.9 million pounds.
- Why is so much honey made in the Dakotas?
- Large summer crops of clover, alfalfa, canola and sunflower, plus many migratory beekeepers who bring hives there each summer.
- Which state has the highest honey yield per colony?
- Yields vary each year. In 2025, New York's colonies averaged 56 pounds, above the US average of 48 pounds, according to the USDA.
- Does the USDA count small backyard beekeepers?
- The state figures in the annual honey report cover producers with five or more colonies, so many hobby beekeepers are not included.
Al Safa Honey is a food producer, not a medical provider. Nothing here is medical advice. Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months old.
