While I agree that pitting beekeepers against farmers is a lose/lose battle, it is important to remember that many crops NEED bees. If the environment isn't safe for them, beekeepers are justified in pulling out, or raising prices for pollination

SEE:
Insect pollination enhances seed yield, quality, and market value in oilseed rape
Riccardo Bommarco, et al. Oecologia. Springer-Verlag 2012

>[this] study clearly shows that insect pollination is required to reach high yield, seed quality, and thus market value in oilseed rape. Insect pollination contributed 18% to yield and 20% to market value. This estimate is in accordance with yields obtained from B. napus fields to which honey bee hives were added, which demonstrated contributions of 46% (Sabbahi et al. 2005) and 22% (Manning and Wallis 2005) from honey bee pollination to the yield. In addition, Morandin and Winston (2006) demonstrated how decreasing bee abundance leads to seed deficit in oilseed rape.

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