Another article.  See http://tinyurl.com/4nhcn

This one is claiming, "A shortage of bees and beekeepers in Virginia could
threaten this year's apple, peach, cucumber, melon, cantaloupe and pumpkin
harvests".

To quote the article, "The benefit from honeybee pollination to the
agricultural industry in Virginia is $74 million, said Lannie Ballard, vice
president of the Virginia State Beekeepers Association." and "It is
estimated there were 90,000 managed hives in Virginia in 1984. In 2003 that
estimate had fallen to 24,000 managed hives."

$74,000,000 / 24,000 hives = $3,063.33 in value for each managed hive in the
state, whether on pollination or not.

Is the problem anything that doubling the pollination fee would not cure?

Seems to me that something is wrong here.  Are we as important as we claim
to be?

Did any almond growers in California actually go without bees in the end?
(Anybody know?)

allen
A Beekeeper's Diary: http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/
Can't let a good thread die

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