Hello All,
I would like to call to everyone s attention a short article in the May 23 Wall
Street Journal (page B1)
The headline is  The Buzz on California s Weather:So Bad Even the Bees Have Been
Idle   Some of the quotes of interest are  The rain, wind and cold pounded
budding crops in the states prime growing areas.  But even more hurtful, say
agricultural experts, were the storms  impact on the states 500,000 commercial
beehives. ... Some 50 California crops, from almonds to pumpkins, rely on
bees....No bees-no fruits and nuts, says Mr. Mussen  (Eric Mussen, UC Davis).
Now, we get to the good part..... according to Blue Diamond Growers..., the
state produced about 730 million pounds of the nuts (almonds), which sold
wholesale at $1.70 a pound.  This year, William Wright, Blue Diamond s director
of North American sales, predicts the crop will drop to 430 million pounds and
the wholesale price will shoot up to $2.50 a pound. ... Same with Californias
cherry production, which will drop to about 550,000 boxes from 3.8 million boxes
last year.   The bees would have done their work if the weather cooperated, says
James Culbertson, manager of the California Cherry Advisory Board.
 
Well, I did the math on the California Almond crop alone.  In 1994 USING THE
ABOVE FIGURES the crop was worth 1.241 billion dollars wholesale.  This year
will be 166 million dollars less.  Fewer almonds, much higher prices to
consumers.  This is a good concrete example of  the value of pollination to the
US economy and I intend furnish the article to my senators and congressmen so
that they will hopefully keep it in the back of their (tiny) minds when
considering funding, or lack thereof, for our Bee Labs.