Alabama Drought Has Impact on Farmers Who Produce Honey

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By Tamika Bickham

Story Created: Jul 27, 2012 at 8:25 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 28, 2012 at 12:00 AM CDT

Eighty-eight percent of the state is in a drought, creating widespread effects. One local farmer says the product experiencing the greatest impact, is honey.

Paul Mielke is a big supporter of local farmers.

"I was just driving by today and saw the sign," he said.

At Oakview Farms in Wetumpka he found exactly what he was looking for.

"I got a nice big thing of honey, pure honey," said Mielke.

But there is just a little less of it stocking the shelves this season.

Owner Joe Lambrecht says honey is their third biggest money maker behind grits and hydroponic lettuce, but he says it's the bees, and ultimately the honey, that's been hit the hardest by the drought.

"When it's dry, we don't have anything blooming. With nothing blooming, we are not making pollen. We are not making nectar," he said.

Lambrecht says each one of the bee colonies is 80 pounds short on honey this year, which is 80 pounds of product they can't sell.

"If we run out of honey early, it's going to hurt us," he said.

It's a financial hit that seems inevitable.

"We are probably going to be 50 percent off on our honey production this year," said Lambrecht.

When demand is big and bees just aren't as busy, that could only mean one thing for you and me.

"All that relates into is less market for us and higher prices for the consumer," said Lambrecht.

"I haven't seen any in the food prices yet, but it's coming," said Mielke.

Honey prices haven't gone up since last year, but Lambrecht says because of the drought, you can expect higher prices next year.
 

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