Hello All,
Just as I was about to announce my retirement I purchased the hives of Bell
Hill Honey.

The patch I have been working on for those poor souls addicted to
beekeeping( and similar to a nicotine patch )for those trying to quit
beekeeping has failed to protect me.

Will be busy the next few weeks trying to work those hives into my
operation.

CCD:
Although not a discussion known to most beekeepers (even commercial) a
dialog if on going with the USDA over the definition of CCD.

Instead of a windfall ( huge spending of tax dollars with little results)
for CCD researchers (Jerry B. seems left out which upsets me to no end!)
commercial beekeepers are having to fight for the government to toss a few
crumbs our way to REALLY try and keep the U.S. beekeeping industry afloat.

   I will share  from the dialog between the largest
commercial beekeepers ( not me!) and the government.

17.5 % is now officially the average number for normal winter hive loss in
the U.S..

Although 10% higher than years ago I feel accurate as I had 21% in my test
yard and the loss went up because I had some lids blown off with the
40-60MPH winds we had before the last blizzard and ice sleet & snow filled
the hive body killing the hives. So I actually would have fell under the
17.5% if that had not happened.

The above figure is to determine a *starting point* for normal hive loss
in the U.S. coming out of winter.

The talks were going in the right direction with beekeepers agreeing that if
a holding yard ( example) of 1000 hives crashed and the USDA determined the
loss fit the description (Allen posted) of the CCD syndrome then *if* a
program was set up 17.5% would automatically be dropped from compensation .
Or in the example 175 hives.

The compensation talked about varies but runs from around $18 (old indemnity
program figure stopped in 1978) to around a high of $30. $18 dollars would
buy a package in 1978 but only a queen today. $30 about half of the cost of
a 1000 package purchase (less shipping).

The above is chump change compared to the subsidies farmers get.

The government works in mysterious ways but rather than argue the issue it
*seems now* the above 17.5% figure is settled and being used in USDA 
publications.

What I heard Friday was the government is now wanting to drop honey bees
from the current disaster program which would leave beekeepers again at
square one.

Again the current proposed program will not be retroactive but would be a
solution for say 2012 CCD losses.

A huge amount of "hoops need jumped through to qualify  with time limits of
reporting of losses within days of the loss are being proposed.Losses 
verified by professionals.

Beekeepers were optimistic last year but now it looks like may not happen.


bob

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