Hello Brian & All,
Before we all leap on Brian we need to realize Brian asks a good questions.

>why all of the states non-migratory beekeepers do not put pressure on the
State Ag Dept to put an end to migratory beekeeping in this state.

I think Mike answered the question very well. You stop the movement both
ways and pollination fees are keeping many commercial beekeepers afloat!

>To my knowledge we do not need hives brought into the state for
pollination.

Actually most of your states migratory commercial beekeepers would love to
see out of state beekeepers prevented from entering to bid on the states
pollination. We got back this year a pollination for around 400 hives which
we had lost to out of state because the out of state beekeeper undercut our
prices.
Undercutting pollination prices is like a gas war. The winner is the grower!

> is not worth the risk of bringing back AHB
genetics to our honeybee population.

 AHb genetics already in your state from many sources. Packages & queens
from Texas. Hives wintered in the south in areas of AHB. AHB is in
California now!

All you can do is what we did in Missouri which is make it illegal to keep
AHB in the state and give the state inspector the right to depopulate hives
known to be AHB.

>At some level we can point the finger at the migratory folks for mites, SHB
and antibiotic resistant FB.

As far as the above the real finger needs to be pointed at queens &
packages.

Antibiotic resistant FB cause is a big unknown. Many hypothesis are around.

Commercial beekeepers blame small beekeepers and small beekeepers blame the
large beekeepers for AFB problems. Commercial beekeepers have got to control
AFB to survive. Period.


Sadly with many hobby beekeepers needing queens & packages  ( to stay in the
hobby) each year the industry decided (years ago)  to keep shipping. Sure
commercial beekeepers buy plenty of queens but we do for other than staying
in business reasons.
I have never been in a situation I could not rebuild from my own operation
my losses. Not so with the hobby beekeeper.

The industry sees all of the above problems as unstoppable. AHB is
unstoppable. Ustoppable by restricting movement. Slow maybe but not stop.

Stopping the flow of queens & packages into Minnesota would eliminate many
small beekeepers in remote areas away from beekeepers selling
queens,packages or hives but would slow the import of AHB. All the queen
rearing areas of the U.S. have now had AHb finds. Those will increase.
Should we stop all queens & packages from entering Minnesota to protect the
beekeepers of the state? I don't think so. We should however increase the
pressure on queen producers to keep their hives AHB free!

Those beekeepers with two hives might be tomorrows
sideliners and today's sideliners might be tomorrows commercial beekeepers.
The industry needs the hobby & sideline beekeeper!

> Imagine trying to get insurance for a hobby or sideline
beekeeping business if AHB is continually in the news in the future.

Insurance is a concern of mine as I have enjoyed low insurance rates for
many years for my beekeeping business. Claims will drive insurance costs up.

I do not believe the hobby beekeeper will ever spend the money for insurance
coverage on his couple hives (approx. $350 to $500 per year). Although not
high when compared to dealing with a couple million dollar lawsuit yourself
most are willing to take the chance.

An update on commercial beekeeping insurance:

I insure with a national beekeepers group. In the old days we all paid the
same low fee regardless of the size of the operation. Now we pay according
to gross annual receipts which lets the little beekeeper enjoy a lower price
than the large beekeeper pays. None of the larger beekeepers has complained
but my insurance rate is higher than the way it was for years. Increase of a
third over the last five years. AHB claims start happening and ALL the rates
will rise. Even the rates we enjoy now are low because we are in a class of
people which produce syrups and the insurance company is making light of the
fact they are also covering stinging insects. If stinging incidents rise
then the insurance industry will move us to a high risk of claims area and
rates could double ( source my insurance agent).

>imagine the fun of asking landowners for bee yard locations with AHB in the
news.

The locations not got with honey can usually be got with money. In Florida a
large holding yard in the area of Miami was around $2,000 per year. Many
landowners drop their concerns when money comes into the discussion.

Beekeeping is always changing. The days of dropping a jug of your darkest
honey by for yard rent might be gone in many areas! I am generous with
landowners and give my best honey for yard rents.  I leave plenty of truck
ruts and truck paths through their fields.

Beekeepers cry in California about not finding holding yards! A small jar of
honey is not of interest to a California landowner for placement of a 1000
hives of bees on his property. A couple cases of honey or money sparks
interest.

>I'm afraid that this AHB issue could be a very divisive issue for the
beekeeping community  in the near future.

Not really! We have seen the problem coming for a very long time. The
subject has been discussed at Apiary inspectors meetings I have attended.
AHB is coming and all we can do is requeen hot hives with European queens or
depopulate. The only logical solution.


Bob

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