> I don't know if things are getting worse. But they don't seem to me to be getting better. Maybe some of you all can dispel me of this notion. Give me reason to hope for a brighter future, not too far off in the distance.

I think this is the "new normal." Hard work, low pay.

> I'm supposed to address a group of nonbeekeepers who want to know what they can do to help the bees. My short answer is, I don't know. My long answer is about 7 pages double spaced. I believe that the answer is so complex that no one person actually knows and has a satisfactory long term answer. Set me straight, please.

My short answer is: buy honey from your neighborhood beekeeper. Give honey away at the holidays. Plant flowers that attract bees. Avoid spraying insecticides.

I think there is plenty of support now for pollination, pollinator awareness, etc. The chief problem is the conflict between factions. For example, nativists want to restore native populations but often seek to exclude honey bees from their conservation plans. Farmers look askance at people that want to curb their ability to raise crops by putting in place restrictive regulations. Beekeepers seem to think that they are owed a living, whereas beekeeping is and should be subject to market forces. If people don't want to eat honey, so be it. It's their choice. If pollination is crucial to farmers, they will pay for it at the market rate. If beekeepers are concerned about crop practices, they should pull out of agricultural areas and demand access to natural areas. 

Bottom line: people have to communicate their concerns and reach reasonable compromises. So many groups are firmly entrenched in their positions and strongly believe that compromise = defeat. Compromise should always be viewed as a positive thing because it is the only way to include the maximum number of interested parties. "My way or the highway" -- is a dead end street.

PB

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