After reading about the Bells closing their bee business in Florida I
heard from  one of our big honey producers here in Hawaii saying he was
giving up. He said he had been able to struggle for the last several years
with low prices and that he was just getting tired and frustrated with the
way the honey market was going. I hope both of these fine men will some how
have a change of heart and will stay in beekeeping and if they don't I can
understand and wish them the best.

    We all get concerned with this type of news and go looking for the
problem. Well in my humble opinion the problem is the American beekeeper
themselves. The nature of the beekeeper is typically one of solitude and
independence. This has led to the terrible situation that faces beekeepers
today. All Americans have a certain amount of feelings of impotence when
trying to make a difference with GOVERNMENT affairs. Yes Government is big
and daunting and we the people can and do have a say so. The problem with
the beekeepers is they have failed to make their say so be known. Beekeepers
are not united and lacking a crisis of some sort will probably quietly slip
away as a long forgotten group of American farmers that get displaced and
replaced by foreign competition. Beekeepers can only blame themselves and
other beekeepers.

    Currently the National Honey Board, national honey regulations, and the
future direction of American honey bees are controlled, dictated and
regulated by the honey packers. The honey packers make the bulk of the money
made from honey sales and they have been smart enough and organized enough
to regulate the rules of the honey game. The beekeepers who are trying to
make a living with full time beekeeping have been willing to sit back, not
get involved and not make their collective voices be heard. Beekeepers can
only blame themselves.

    What am I talking about?

    The National Honey Board has long been dominated by honey packers. Why
because they have the money, the time and the resources. The assessment
 tax) collected from American honey producers by the National Honey Board is
a tax without representation. Every other country in the world protects the
special interest of their local farmers and producers. In the last 8 years "
Wild Bill Clinton's " relentless desire to trade away America at any cost
has weakened our nation more then we realize. The Honey Board should promote
US honey period. What do they do, they promote honey knowing that nearly
half of the honey packed in America is foreign. If beekeepers had taken
charge of the NHB from the beginning maybe a little more emphasis would be
placed on buying American made honey. Maybe a larger assessment would be
collected on imported honey.  Why do American beekeepers allow this?

    Take a look at the "Sources of Origin" statement required on honey to be
sold in America which includes imported honey. The packer's cleverly got
control of this idea and made it nearly worthless as the listing does not
have any meaning to the consumer. The consumer is conveniently confused into
thinking the honey is predominantly American when US is listed first in the
sources of origin. Well surprise the first country listed is not the country
with a predominance of the honey in the container. Sources of origin should
carefully detail the percentages of each type of honey contained in the
bottle. US honey may be only 5% of the honey in a jar of honey saying
Sources of origin: US, Canada, Argentina and China and the Chinese honey
maybe 90% of the honey.  Why do American beekeepers allow this?

    How is NHB assessment money spent? Well a lot of it is spent on Giant
International trade shows around the world. Who benefits, the packers. The
packers get subsidy from NHB to go to these trade shows. The packers can
also get 50% reimbursement grants ( from the government) for their export
marketing efforts. What are the packers selling, imported honey. Why do
American beekeepers allow this?

    Testing requirements have been kept to a minimum as the packers keep the
government officials in their pocket with effective lobbying and cash pay
off to the right decision making officials. Why because the honey packers do
not want to spend the money for testing and they do not want the American
public to get the idea that all honey is not created equal. A nation that
can put men on the moon could certainly develop testing to quickly and
cheaply detect sugar or honey analog adulteration. This honey coming from
third world producers is subject to heavy chemical contamination from the
abuse of medications, chemicals, insecticides, mitacides and pesticides as
beekeepers try to keep their bees healthy and supercharged.This imported
honey is also subject to dirty barrels, poor health standards of employees
and sloppy handling of the honey on the way to the US. Why do American
beekeepers allow this?

    What can bee done. ACKNOWLEDGE the CRISIS facing American beekeepers at
this time, not a crisis in the future but a crisis right now. Some how  get
beekeepers to get united and expressing a strong and effective collective
voice demanding help. Educating the public, who already loves honey bees
about the crisis facing American beekeepers. Maybe some public civil
peaceful disobedience. Dumping a tanker load of honey into the streets and
sewer in front of the white house. Dumping barrels of honey into the Boston
harbor. Marching on Washington DC with trucks loaded with beehives screened
and threatening to un screen the bees. Guest appearance on morning talk
shows detailing the crisis for American beekeepers. Educational programs to
explain the crisis for American beekeepers and ultimately the American
public if beekeepers die and go away. The need for honey bees as pollinators
is taken for granted and not currently understood. Maybe American beekeepers
need to hold back and for demonstrations purpose dump their honey for a
season or two. Maybe beekeepers need to create new co-ops for the selling of
local US honey to promote the plight of US beekeepers. Maybe some education
and promotion about the value of buying honey from a known local producers.
Maybe a total revolt from paying assessments to the NHB . Demanding total
control of the NHB so that representation can be rightly be given to
American honey producers. Maybe a mass revolt from bee associations, clubs,
organizations and national publications that do not strictly promote
American beekeepers. Maybe a few appearances on morning TV talk shows to
explain the American beekeeper crisis to the American public.  I am sure
there are many other good ideas that would come to the surface if there was
a broad based support of the American beekeeper.

    Well so much for my appeal for the unification on American beekeepers.
There is a crisis currently spreading across America for US beekeepers and
if this crisis is not addressed whose fault will it be? Sorry to say it will
be a crisis left unattended by the American beekeepers.

    All the Best  Walter Patton
    President: Hawaii's Big Island Beekeepers Association 2000
    Beekeeper : Hawaiian Honey House
    Tour Guide : Hawaii's Beekeepers Bed & Breakfast
    Red, White & Blue American to the core