Kathy,
Thanks for the reply!

> We had our contracts cancelled the first of this week. We been with them
for 3 years.

We had two semi loads cancelled from Missouri last week. What gives?

 >Why? they can get out of state hives for 80.00.

Tell your beekeepers NOT to believe all the ads in the "Fresno Bee" and
others. Most have been placed by almond growers to make you think like you
do. Seems has worked up until now. Spread the word. I have got people
calling those ads. Call for yourself.


>Most hives this year are being inspected for strength by the growers and
brokers. What I hear is most at not up to strength.

Were you watching the actual inspection or simply give the yard location to
the broker/grower rep like the others I talked to did? Hmmm.

>We did get ours placed.

If you don't mind me asking how big of a cut did you take? I am a champion
poker and chess player. Maybe I need to sit down with you California
beekeepers and help you with your game.

This is not a friendly Saturday night pitch game for fun.

You are playing for high stakes money. What changed the game? Going from
last years $65 fee most got to this years asking price of 120/150 per hive.

>As a Calif beekeeper in the central valley, I not happy with the out of
state beekeepers, who uncut us and walked into my area to do so. This was a
big issue at our last week meeting, and I'm sure will be some big changes
next year. I'm not talking about the ones who have been doing this for
years.

Large migratory beekeepers are used to playing high stakes poker. Do you
really think a large beekeeper would truck hives from New York or Florida ,
pay broker fees & trucking, unloading and placement fees for $80 a hive? The
lure of 150 a hive brought the bees and the reality is the growers are
offering 80-90 take it or leave it and willing to gamble on not enough bees
to prove a point.

The queen breeders pushing for SHB zero tolerance at the border is the one
thing the almond growers did not count on and will in my opinion cause many
to go without bees this year.

Will be interesting to see how things shake out.

High stakes poker:
1. out of state betting they can get loads in at the risk of 15.000 - 20,000
loss for every load turned around..Will be standing by waiting for the $150
phone call.


2. growers betting they can trick beekeepers into 80-90 almond pollination
fees at the risk of going without bees for a year. Figure they can fold
their hand and call for 150 doller hives if bluff fails. Wait to long and no
bees.

I can already say out of state beekeepers have been hit in the pocket books.
Some are saying the unbooked loads allready in will cost around $200 a hive
this year when the phone rings.

Bob

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