By Jamie Martin
In celebration of the close of this year’s honey harvest, Lawn Love released its ranking of the best U.S. states for beekeeping in 2024.
The rankings considered 39 states, assessing them on honey production, colony loss, apiculture establishments, and environmental support 29 key metrics in total.
Leading the list, California scored 55.66 overall, excelling in profitability and colony health, supported by a favorable climate and robust educational resources.
New York followed in second place with 45.93, showing strong profitability and excellent educational support, though it ranked lower in colony health.
North Dakota with 42.89, known for its honey production, secured third with a top profitability score but was limited by lower environmental scores.
In fourth place, Texas with 42.36 boasted excellent colony health and educational resources, although environmental challenges impacted its rank.
Montana rounded out the top five with 40.32, benefiting from colony health and supportive regulatory factors, though it was slightly lower in education resources.
Other states in the top ten included Ohio (39.86), Florida (38.57), Michigan (36.54), Pennsylvania (36.40), and Illinois (36.01).
Ohio earned high marks for profitability and educational support, while Florida showed resilience in colony health despite regulatory challenges.
The second tier of the rankings saw states like South Dakota (34.06), Georgia (33.15), and Wisconsin (33.30) performing well in profitability but grappling with environmental hurdles. Vermont ranked 19th with 32.33, scoring highly in regulatory support yet limited by honey production rates.
The ranking underscores that location matters in beekeeping. States with supportive climates, strong educational resources, and favorable regulations are well-suited for productive beekeeping.
Whether you’re an experienced beekeeper or new to the field, these rankings offer insight into choosing a state aligned with your beekeeping needs.
Photo Credit: istock-kerem-hanci
Categories: National