1 cent for packers, and 1 cent for producers. I pack my own honey. Sounds like 2
cents tax for me. A penny here, a penny there. What the hay. I'm wondering about
that clause that allows you to put in a claim for advertising of your own honey.
What isn't claimed will be used to advertise U.S. honey? Oh really? We'll see.
Troy Fore wrote:
> I have resisted posting replies to some of the off-the-wall comments on
> the proposal to expand the Honey Board because of the title of the BEE-L:
> "Discussion of Bee Biology." But the latest.....
>
> >Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 14:26:10 EST
> >From: Hervey Heywood <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject: 2 cent board.....
>
> ..... pushed my button too hard. He posted, on behalf of Joe Rowland:
>
> >If enacted, honey producers will lose control of the NHB, commercial
> >beekeepers will see their Honey Board "Income Tax" soar, and the stage will
> >be set for increased regulation and bureaucracy industry-wide.
>
> Briefly, under the proposal, producers (and importers) will continue to
> pay 1-cent, but packers will now also pay 1-cent. Should they continue to
> get off without paying?
>
> The increased regulation will be in the form of keeping malefactors from
> diluting their honey with corn syrup and gaining an unfair advantage over
> everyone else, not to mention risking the reputation legitimate honey
> producers and packers have nurtured over the centuries. An important part
> of the proposal mandates the Honey Board spends *at least* 8% of its
> annual revenues for beekeeping research. Not honey marketing research --
> not new product research -- *beekeeping* research. Under the proposal 8%
> would be about $500,000.
>
> There is no way the beekeepers can lose control of the Honey Board.
> Producer members have to hold 50% of the seats. The proposal has been
> endorsed by American Beekeeping Federation, American Honey Producers
> Association, National Honey Packers and Dealers Association, and Sioux
> Honey Association.
>
> Finally, it will have to endorsed by the assessment-paying members of the
> industry before it goes into effect. The legislation in Congress simply
> lets it come to a vote of the industry. Ask yourself: Why don't the
> opponents want to allow the industry to vote on the proposal? After a
> thorough airing at the ABF Convention, it was endorsed unanimously.
>
> If you want more information, check out the ABF website: abfnet.org or
> contact me for more information.
>
> Let's let the people who will be paying the bill decide.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Troy Fore
> Executive Director
> American Beekeeping Federation
> P.O. Box 1038, Jesup, GA 31598-1038
> Ph. 912-427-4233 Fax 912-427-8447
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> Home Page: http://www.abfnet.org
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
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