ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York reports honey production statewide increased 9 percent last year with more than 3.6 million pounds produced.
According to state officials, that means New York remains the top producer in the Northeast and for the first time in a decade among the top 10 states nationally.
The federal agriculture data covering beekeepers with five colonies or more show New York's production rose from 3.3 million pounds in 2014.
Beekeepers earned almost $10.6 million last year, up $1.2 million.
The Cuomo administration has established a task force to help protect and recover populations of honeybees and other pollinators, saying they're critical to the state economy and pollinate nearly $500 million worth of farm crops annually.
