Bee Bills Rising
California almond growers are paying more to bring in the bees, and new numbers show just how much more.
The USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service has released its latest Cost of Pollination report. The report highlights the crop with the highest pollination cost in each region, and for Regions 6 and 7, which include California, that crop is almonds.
In those regions, the average cost per colony for almonds jumped 15 percent. Growers paid an average of 181 dollars per colony in 2024. In 2025, that climbed to 209 dollars per colony.
On a per acre basis, the average price also edged up, moving from 305 dollars per acre to 310 dollars per acre.
Despite the higher costs, the total value of pollination for almonds increased 5 percent. Almonds were the highest valued crop in the region. Overall, the total value of all pollination across Regions 6 and 7 reached 364 million dollars in 2025, up 3 percent from 2024.
Bottom line, pollination remains a major investment for California agriculture.
