Bob & Liz wrote (or maybe Jim did):
> The problems are known by all large beekeepers when they sit around a meeting  or
> restaurant table.  The solutions  all have come up with will still not make the U.S.
> beekeeper able to compete in a world market place. Labor costs , fuel costs and the
> amount of expensive trucking involved are three big problems beside the low price for
> honey.

One problem we see in Maine is the undercutting of other pollinators by
just one or two who have no idea what they are doing or are just trying
to stay afloat. Their price is used by th growers to drive the price for
pollinating down for everyone else.

Capitalism does work. There are several options, the worst is to let
nature take its course and let the little guy go under until only a few
large pollinating companies remain. But why not create pollinating
cooperatives just like other co-ops in agriculture, like Ocean Spray,
Sunkist, etc.. Then you are negotiating from strength and not as a bunch
of struggling companies. Most growers know the value of pollination,
especially the blueberry growers. They also are shrewd businessmen who
know how to divide and conquer.

Price the product, pollination, fairly so the pollination business will
survive without honey as the break even (or any) factor. Especially
since there are some years when there is no honey from pollinating
blueberry fields and, most of the time, none from cranberries. One
common bargining tactic is the grower includes the beekeepers honey in
pricing. (We have had many people ask for free pollination because
"After all, you get to keep the honey.")

Been away visiting relatives for two weeks and happy to see all
continued normally on the list with opinion is still displacing facts
about two to one. (Even FGMO came back... but mercifully disappeared.)
The cell size discussion has been excellent. Both reasoned and calm.

Now that I am back I will try to get the ratio of opinion to fact up to
a more natural 3:1.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Me