Honey

When you think of fraud, honey may not come to mind - that is unless you’re a U.S. beekeeper.

U.S. demand for honey far exceeds the 156 million pounds U.S. beekeepers and their bees can produce. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, each year about 596 million pounds of honey are consumed by U.S. households and food processing facilities. 

But profits aren’t what some might think. The livelihood of U.S. beekeepers is challenged by a substance disguised as pure honey, imported and sold to U.S. food processors. 

In The Moment ... August 1, 2019 Show 628 Hour 2

South Dakota has gone from second in states that produce the most honey to fourth in just two years. Why such a sudden drop? What's the outlook for South Dakota's honey producers?

Nick Lowrey is an investigative reporter for South Dakota News Watch. He discusses his feature story that says the state's beekeepers are facing the industry's "darkest days."

Honeybees are in decline.   The numbers in the first months of 2016 show the national honeybee population has hit new lows. SDPB’s Allie Knofczynski reports on the research and efforts across South Dakota to protect its state insect.

The number of honeybee colonies in South Dakota is down 40 percent from last year. Colonies lost during the first three months of this year totaled 1 percent of the statewide population. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the honeybee decline began in 2006.

Richard Adee, co-owner of Adee Honey Farms in Bruce, talked about honey production in South Dakota which, last year, ranked second in the nation at 17 million pounds.  Adee said that South Dakota is a good location for production in the summer because of warm days and cool nights.  The past president of the American Honey Producers Association, Adee also said that honey producers all over the country are dealing with the loss of colonies.