NASS Survey Training Bee and Honey Production and Loss Inquiry
NASS Survey Training Bee and Honey Production and Loss Inquiry - December 2017 (BEE COLONY LOSS AND SMALL OPERATIONS PDI)
United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service NOD - Training Group December 2017
Survey Overview • The Bee and Honey Production and Loss Inquiry is conducted: –To compare conditions from year to year, on: • Number of colonies and honey production • Sales and expenses • Colony losses • Health issues affecting colonies
–To help promote industry programs. –To provide information on the viability of beekeepers and agricultural pollination services.
Survey Information • Project Code: 116 - Bee and Honey Production and Loss Inquiry • Sample: –Operations with 1-4 Colonies
• Questionnaires: –Mailed out around December 21 –Web reporting option (EDR) available
• Release: –Honey Report –March 14, 3PM (eastern)
Annual Colony Loss & Bee and Honey Small Op • This survey contains 2 previously separate surveys: –Bee and Honey Small Operations • Measuring 2017 honey production, income, and operating expenses
–Annual Colony Loss • Measuring 2017 colonies lost and colony health issues.
• Now just 1 survey: –Section 2: Honey production, income, and expenses. –Sections 3-8: Colony losses and health issues. • Asking about losses for all of 2017, but broken out by quarters: –Jan-Mar, April-June, July-Sept, and Oct-Dec.
Screening Questions • Screening: • During 2017, did this operation own or control any apiaries? –If yes, report. –If no, answer next screening question:
• Did this operation have any honey sales in 2017 from any production year? –Yes: Report sales. –No: Will this operation own or control any apiaries in 2018?
Survey Questions • What was the largest number of colonies for all purposes that this operation had in 2017? –From how many of these colonies was honey harvested or “pulled off”? • Answer in # of colonies
–How many total pounds of honey were harvested from those colonies? • Answer to the nearest lb.
• If honey was sold, what was the total income from honey sales?
Survey Questions, Cont’d. • During 2017: –Did this operation receive any income from contracting colonies for pollination? • If yes, answer to nearest whole $ amount.
–Did this operation receive any other income from honey bees? (Include sales of queens, beeswax, propolis, etc.) • Answer to the nearest whole $
–How many self-created queens were used on this operation for requeening or creating new colonies? • Exclude queens reared for sale
Survey Questions Expenditures • In 2017, list the number purchased, and total dollars spent, for: –Purchased queens/queen cells –Purchased packages –Purchased nucs
• In 2017, what were the total expenditures for the following items on this operation: –Varroa control/treatment –Prevent/treat other colony health issues –Feed –New foundation for combs –New hives
Survey Questions, Cont’d. • During 2017, did this operation pay any fees to winter colonies in a warehouse or on land? –If yes, what were the total fees/rent to winter colonies? • Answer to nearest whole $ amount.
• During 2017, including yourself, what was the peak # of people working on your apiaries? –(Excluding employees that don’t actually work with colonies, i.e. office staff, etc)
Colony Losses by Quarter • Quarters are: • Jan 1 – Mar 31 • April 1 – June 30 • July 1 – Sep 30 • Oct 1 – Dec 31
• On [1st day of quarter] how many colonies did this operation own, regardless of location? • During the quarter, how many: –Colonies were completely lost/dead out? –Were requeened only? –Received a nuc or package? –New colonies were added?
Loss • Of the total colonies lost during 2017, did any colonies experience all of the following symptoms? –Little to no build-up of dead bees in the hive or at the hive entrance –Rapid loss of adult bee population despite the presence of queen, capped brood, and food reserves –Absence or delayed robbing of the food reserves –Loss not attributable to Varroa or Nosema loads
• How many colonies lost experienced all of the symptoms?
Colony Health Issues • Of the total colonies owned in 2017, how many colonies were affected by, but not necessarily lost to: –Varroa Mites –Other Pests and Parasites –Diseases –Pesticides –Other (specify) –Unknown
Conclusion • If no colonies were maintained in 2017, and no honey was harvested or sold: –Will this operation own or control any apiaries in 2018? • Yes/No
• Operation been turned over? • Name and address of new operation? • Receive copy of survey results?
Things to watch out for: • High/low production per colony –2016 state averages ranged from 32-116 pounds per colony
• Unusually high/low price per pound of honey –2016 state averages ranged from $1.83-$4.23 per pound
• Total sales of 2017 honey exceeds total production of 2017 honey • High numbers of workers
Things to Watch Out For: • Large change in quarterly number of colonies • Large number of lost colonies • Large portion of colonies receiving new queens and/or additional bees • “Double reporting” of colonies lost, colonies receiving bees, new colonies added –Watch the specific include/excludes for the items
• Inconsistent total number of colonies and sum of colonies for all states
Things to Watch Out For: • Sum of new colonies/new bees added not consistent with sums reported for all states • New or renovated colonies but no sources reported • Colonies lost exhibiting ALL four symptoms exceeds total losses reported • Losses/hives renovated but no problems reported • *Note: Across each section, these numbers may not all exactly match up…BUT they should be in the ballpark – If I initially report 100 colonies BUT then the sum across all states is 500 colonies – that’s likely to be a problem! – If I report losses or that I had to replace bees, but then report 0 hives with problems – how?
In conclusion: • Bees are very important as pollinators – Vital to a variety of important crops – Often transported to provide this service
• NASS is the only comprehensive source of this vital bee, honey, and pollinator information – Colonies, honey production and stocks • Important that we have the information correctly recorded for each state
– And honey sales
• Work through some practices on your iPad • Leave good notes • Contact your supervisor/local office for any questions specific to your area
United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service NOD - Training Group December 2017
Survey Overview • The Bee and Honey Production and Loss Inquiry is conducted: –To compare conditions from year to year, on: • Number of colonies and honey production • Sales and expenses • Colony losses • Health issues affecting colonies
–To help promote industry programs. –To provide information on the viability of beekeepers and agricultural pollination services.
Survey Information • Project Code: 116 - Bee and Honey Production and Loss Inquiry • Sample: –Operations with 1-4 Colonies
• Questionnaires: –Mailed out around December 21 –Web reporting option (EDR) available
• Release: –Honey Report –March 14, 3PM (eastern)
Annual Colony Loss & Bee and Honey Small Op • This survey contains 2 previously separate surveys: –Bee and Honey Small Operations • Measuring 2017 honey production, income, and operating expenses
–Annual Colony Loss • Measuring 2017 colonies lost and colony health issues.
• Now just 1 survey: –Section 2: Honey production, income, and expenses. –Sections 3-8: Colony losses and health issues. • Asking about losses for all of 2017, but broken out by quarters: –Jan-Mar, April-June, July-Sept, and Oct-Dec.
Screening Questions • Screening: • During 2017, did this operation own or control any apiaries? –If yes, report. –If no, answer next screening question:
• Did this operation have any honey sales in 2017 from any production year? –Yes: Report sales. –No: Will this operation own or control any apiaries in 2018?
Survey Questions • What was the largest number of colonies for all purposes that this operation had in 2017? –From how many of these colonies was honey harvested or “pulled off”? • Answer in # of colonies
–How many total pounds of honey were harvested from those colonies? • Answer to the nearest lb.
• If honey was sold, what was the total income from honey sales?
Survey Questions, Cont’d. • During 2017: –Did this operation receive any income from contracting colonies for pollination? • If yes, answer to nearest whole $ amount.
–Did this operation receive any other income from honey bees? (Include sales of queens, beeswax, propolis, etc.) • Answer to the nearest whole $
–How many self-created queens were used on this operation for requeening or creating new colonies? • Exclude queens reared for sale
Survey Questions Expenditures • In 2017, list the number purchased, and total dollars spent, for: –Purchased queens/queen cells –Purchased packages –Purchased nucs
• In 2017, what were the total expenditures for the following items on this operation: –Varroa control/treatment –Prevent/treat other colony health issues –Feed –New foundation for combs –New hives
Survey Questions, Cont’d. • During 2017, did this operation pay any fees to winter colonies in a warehouse or on land? –If yes, what were the total fees/rent to winter colonies? • Answer to nearest whole $ amount.
• During 2017, including yourself, what was the peak # of people working on your apiaries? –(Excluding employees that don’t actually work with colonies, i.e. office staff, etc)
Colony Losses by Quarter • Quarters are: • Jan 1 – Mar 31 • April 1 – June 30 • July 1 – Sep 30 • Oct 1 – Dec 31
• On [1st day of quarter] how many colonies did this operation own, regardless of location? • During the quarter, how many: –Colonies were completely lost/dead out? –Were requeened only? –Received a nuc or package? –New colonies were added?
Loss • Of the total colonies lost during 2017, did any colonies experience all of the following symptoms? –Little to no build-up of dead bees in the hive or at the hive entrance –Rapid loss of adult bee population despite the presence of queen, capped brood, and food reserves –Absence or delayed robbing of the food reserves –Loss not attributable to Varroa or Nosema loads
• How many colonies lost experienced all of the symptoms?
Colony Health Issues • Of the total colonies owned in 2017, how many colonies were affected by, but not necessarily lost to: –Varroa Mites –Other Pests and Parasites –Diseases –Pesticides –Other (specify) –Unknown
Conclusion • If no colonies were maintained in 2017, and no honey was harvested or sold: –Will this operation own or control any apiaries in 2018? • Yes/No
• Operation been turned over? • Name and address of new operation? • Receive copy of survey results?
Things to watch out for: • High/low production per colony –2016 state averages ranged from 32-116 pounds per colony
• Unusually high/low price per pound of honey –2016 state averages ranged from $1.83-$4.23 per pound
• Total sales of 2017 honey exceeds total production of 2017 honey • High numbers of workers
Things to Watch Out For: • Large change in quarterly number of colonies • Large number of lost colonies • Large portion of colonies receiving new queens and/or additional bees • “Double reporting” of colonies lost, colonies receiving bees, new colonies added –Watch the specific include/excludes for the items
• Inconsistent total number of colonies and sum of colonies for all states
Things to Watch Out For: • Sum of new colonies/new bees added not consistent with sums reported for all states • New or renovated colonies but no sources reported • Colonies lost exhibiting ALL four symptoms exceeds total losses reported • Losses/hives renovated but no problems reported • *Note: Across each section, these numbers may not all exactly match up…BUT they should be in the ballpark – If I initially report 100 colonies BUT then the sum across all states is 500 colonies – that’s likely to be a problem! – If I report losses or that I had to replace bees, but then report 0 hives with problems – how?
In conclusion: • Bees are very important as pollinators – Vital to a variety of important crops – Often transported to provide this service
• NASS is the only comprehensive source of this vital bee, honey, and pollinator information – Colonies, honey production and stocks • Important that we have the information correctly recorded for each state
– And honey sales
• Work through some practices on your iPad • Leave good notes • Contact your supervisor/local office for any questions specific to your area
