North Dakota honey production saw a 23 percent increase between 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, a USDA report had the number of honey-producing colonies down 2 percent in that time. “I think there is a big difference between what these USDA reports are showing for colonies in the state versus what our licensing and registration is saying we have for colonies in the state,” said Samantha Brunner, State Bee Inspector, “I think it’s just a difference of who reported.” Individual bee colony losses are still happening but thanks to efforts by beekeepers, Brunner said the numbers of bee colonies are increasing.
