Bob, more information from Calif
In general, we Calif beekeepers don't have ill feelings toward out of
staters (since many of us, myself included) move east each year. However,
we sure hate that we have to pick up every new pest or resistant mite or AFB
that develops in Florida, and get it here in only two years cross country
(Florida to Dakotas to Calif). Almonds are our bread and butter here, not
honey. Also queen production. The onslaught of new pests from across the
country when we go into almonds, plus the competition from out-of-staters
who used to come in just for the cost of diesel fuel in order to build up
their colonies before moving up to Oregon and Washington for cherry and
apple pollination hurt us. How would midwest beekeepers feel if we
contaminated their colonies each year and then undercut them on the price of
honey?
As far as I can tell, there were five main problems this year--(1) supply
and demand, (2) lack of contracts, (3) changing rules at the bug stations,
(4) grading, and (5) gouging.
1. Supply and demand: Is this a repeat of the 1849 Gold Rush, or what? A
few firstcomers get rich, the rest go broke. Joe Traynor may not deserve
so much animosity--he's right that there is a shortage of bees. The main
shortage is yet to come. The midwestern beekeepers just jumped the gun this
year. Supply and demand really kicked in, and the out-of-state beekeepers
have no one but themselves to blame for the price dropping. They ran up
the supply so much (speculating to get $150), that they filled the demand.
One of my friends who contracted to place bees at $150 is now dropping his
price (after placing the bees) to keep the grower happy. If the price
offered had been $80, there would have been a hell of a shortage.
This whole thing started last year as a bidding war between the growers
for a finite supply of available bees, and they had the potential profits to
make it worthwhile to pay more for bees ensure that they would get a
lucrative crop. A big point for your article is that it wasn't the
beekeepers who drove up the price, it was the growers bidding against each
other to make sure they got enough bees. This year raw greed scrounged
every movable bee box out the the backwoods of the country, and there were
suddenly too many beekeepers trying to milk the same cash cow.
2. Lack of contracts: Who in their right freaking mind would pay
thousands of dollars to haul bees across the country without a signed
contract? Beekeepers blinded by greed? The point is, they were gambling,
and didn't hit the jackpot :( I don't want to see any beekeeper or grower
get hurt, and I hope we can avoid this awful mess next year. Anyone want to
come up with a standardized contract for next year--there are plenty of
models out there.
3. Changing rules at the bug stations--can't comment on this. But if your
bees ain't clean, do you think we want them here? We have enough problems
without you dumping new pests on us each year.
4. Grading.: The grading issue is odd to me. I've been mostly with a
broker (Mike Rosso) who has run a graded program for at least 25 years. We
get paid by frame strength. 10% of colonies are inspected by his crew at
10% bloom of main variety. One frame stength is one deep Langstroth frame
70% covered with bees at a temp above 60°F. No payment for any colony under
4 frame. The last two years we got paid $4.50/frame, then $6.00/frame up to
a max of 12 frames. This year the payment was considerably better to match
the going rate for strong colonies, but topped out at 10 frames. If either
Grower or Beekeeper disputes the count, we can pay for a recount at $20/hr
for a team of two. I've always been happy with my count. With this
program, it's more cost efficient for me to combine two weaker colonies,
since I'm really getting paid for the total number of frames of bees I move
in, independent of the number of boxes (I get paid the same for 10 5-framers
as for 5-10 framers). Therefore, less hauling. There's no incentive to
haul shitty bees, and the Grower really gets his money's worth (a 12-frame
colony really does some serious pollinating compared to two 6-framers).
5. Gouging: I return to the same orchards, and work with the same growers
and broker year after year. We get to know each other personally, and care
about each others' operations and problems. A little different than sending
semiloads of crappy boxes of sick bees to an anonymous almond farmer in
another state who you only want to extort for cash. Last year my growers
kicked in a substantial bonus after they already has my bees in their
orchards with signed contracts, to make sure I got paid fairly! Beekeepers,
brokers, and growers are all guilty of gouging each other at the last minute
this year. Everyone loses! How about a little honesty and respect for one
another. The almond growers are finally making money after many years of
hard times, and most of us beekeepers are struggling with Varroa. Let's
work together, and keep a good relationship!
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---
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