According to 2000 stats:

1. There are 2,620,000 hives in the US, ignoring beekeepers with less than 5 hives.

2. Per Cornell and Roger's study the direct value of honeybees to our economy due to pollination is $16 billion.

3. Divide 2 by 1 yields a per hive contribution of $6106.

4. If we half this figure because feral colonies exist, we are still left with a big per hive value to our economy. Some feel that this calculation justifies a subsidy program to help beekeepers survive, mites, foreign competition, etc.