* I don't know who is responsible for the "USDA Honey Market News" but
the quality of the information has greatly slipped as of recent. In
fact, there is an unbelievable ERROR in it of amazing proportions.
From the June 2007 "Honey Market News" I quote:

> Reportedly CCD has occurred in 27 states with a loss of approximately 2.4 million colonies. It has been found in Europe, Brazil, Guatemala and Varroa is not suspected to be responsible. Noteworthy is that the high losses in bee stocks will translate to higher prices on honey and other related products. http://marketnews.usda.gov/portal/fv/honey

The correct numbers would be:

> In the mid 1940s, the United States was home to nearly 6 million managed bee colonies. In 1985, numbers were lower, though still strong, at about 4.5 million colonies. Then the mites hit. By 2005, only 2.4 million managed bee colonies remained, according to the USDA.


[ 2.4 Million colonies! That is the figure given for the TOTAL number
of colonies in the entire USA in 2005. According to "USDA sources",
all gone now. I have heard of rumor mongering, but this beats it all ]


-- 
Peter L. Borst
Ithaca, NY
USA

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