BEE-L Archives

Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

BEE-L@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Eugene Makovec <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 27 Mar 2016 12:56:50 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (19 lines)
"With several degrees in economics and finance I SUSPECT that I have a slightly different view of 'free market guys' that some here.  At least as far as I know 'free markets' is not even a term in economics but seems to be a more fashionable term in political science and those not encumbered by the trivia of economic reality.... Quite often in economic reality the intention of a change in the law and the eventual results often are turned up on their heads."

My couple of college economics courses cannot compete with the "several degrees" that Mr. Ash holds. But one does not need a degree (or six) to know that government intervention in an industry does not always (or even usually) benefit that industry or its consumers. Such intervention almost always benefits the largest players at the expense of competition, and of the consumer.

"And last I should point out that the philosophy of a pure 'free trader' is opposed to any and all impediments to trade including labeling and even the most MINIMAL regulation concerning sanitation or bottling or labeling." 

Last year I posted to this group asking about various states' honey laws in light of Missouri's successful effort to reduce regulations on small to mid-size beekeepers. (See http://www.beeculture.com/deregulating-honey-in-missourithere-are-19-ways-to-kill-a-bill-and-only-one-way-to-pass-it/ from the Bee Culture archives.) Mr. Ash responded by decrying a new law in Texas that he feared could lead to "well publicized incidents of bad or tainted honey" that could damage the reputation of the entire industry in that state. When I looked up that law I was surprised to learn that the new, Wild West climate he criticized was virtually identical to the restrictive Missouri law that we had just succeeded in overturning!

The Missouri health department of course trotted out scary scenarios of adulteration and harmful chemicals (neither of which would have been prevented or even inspected for under the previous law), but admitted to me in writing that they had "no records showing honey as the cause of any food-borne illness" in Missouri.

Accurate, transparent labeling - pure honey vs some other blend, and yes, country of origin - is in my view necessary for consumers to make an informed decision. But I think it is then incumbent upon our industry to explain to those consumers why they should buy our product rather than someone else's.

Eugene Makovec

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

ATOM RSS1 RSS2