Bob said:
> >… I am a realist and successful business man. I make a
>>living from bees. Each hive is a production unit. Just keeping the hive
>>around all season costs money.

Keeping a bunch of "dinks' around does not help the bottom line. Most times 
it is cheaper and easier to simply treat for a problem than kill a 100 hives 
trying to find a hive which say resists varroa. In fact we were asked to 
send our survivor queens to Baton Rouge years ago for Dr. Harbo to find a 
varroa tolerant bee. His research failed as far as finding a varroa tolerant 
bee from *those* queens.

Dr. Harbo then began to look deeper into why some hives handle varroa while 
others do not and came up with valid reasons why certain bees survive which 
made sense. Hense SMR & VSH.

Others are still using the method the Baton Rouge bee lab found 
unsuccessful. Of course now you can buy Russian <VSH and other genetics you 
can add to a failed "live and let die" method and clain the method worked.


> Commercial beekeepers often put forth the above reason for not going
> forward with efforts to breed a bee that is not dependant on treatments to
> survive.

Do you understand what you are saying? Most commercial beeks are not queen 
breeders. A queen breeder searchers for bees not dependent on treatments. In 
other words you have to stop all treatments which is not wise. Wise is to 
monitor your bees health and use IPM treatments to control the problem if 
needed.

There are only a handful of queen breeders in the U.S. but many queen 
producers. Some queen producers claim they are queen breeders but those of 
us close to those beeks know different. See an egg and in the cage the queen 
goes. Light colored Italian and dark colored carniolan!


> In 'successful business', it is required that funds be allocated towards
> research and development to keep up with the competition.

Most of the competition has went bankrupt. Many in the early 90's using the 
"live and let die" method trying to find a bee to survive varroa.

I leave the research and developement to those which will get a paycheck 
regardless of the bottom line. Marla Spivak with grants and the Baton Rouge 
bee lab.
The search form the varroa tolerant bee does not pay very good . We all know 
the Russian bee has many good traits yet queen producers do not embrace. 
When asked they simply reply. Why should we as we can sell every queen we 
produce now without the hassle.


  In the business
> of commercial beekeeping, we perhaps need to start thinking of ’diseases
> of the honeybee’ as a fierce competitor.

I think you underestimate todays commercial beek. In fact I usually only 
have this type of conversation with another beekeeper which makes a living 
from bees. I don't think Donald Trump could make it in the bee business. 
Most bee operations run on limited capital. A couple stupid moves and you 
are out of business.


> A working business model has been proven key to success throughout 
> history:

My banker would not make it in the bee business. keeping control of the 
bottom line is the key. Making the tough decisions is the key. And above all 
not doing what the others are doing is also key (or has been for me).

Being able to change direction overnight is key today. Sticking to the same 
old ideas will cost you in the end. if your bees are starving you simply 
move to greener pastures. if your pollination contracts are lost you find 
new.
Commercial beekeeping is always changing.


 So IMO,  the excuse that it would ‘cost a commercial beekeeper money to
> breed a bee not dependant on treatments’ is perhaps more suggestive of a
> failed business model than it is affordability.

I am still waiting for the worlds queen breeders to come up with a bee not 
dependant on treatments of any kind.  Are you suggesting I would have done 
better?

I have used over 400 Russian queens, hygienic bees, Marla Spivak queens, SMR 
queens, VSH bees, Purvis queens and others. Most my fellow beeks have done 
the same. I think purchasing these genetics is easier and better than 
relying of feral swarms (of unknown origin.)

You have got to walk a mile in a commercial beeks shoes before you judge. 
Despite a working business model you can't be spending a higher amount of 
money than you are taking in! With the rising cost of fuel I have been 
making changes. Not simply business as usual. A businessman has to adjust 
quickly when things effect the bottom line.
Dropping the far yards. making less trips and doing all work when at the 
yard. No unnecessary trips. Extra bee equipment on trucks. All trucks got a 
tune-up! In some cases increase of hives in yards.

One important change fuel costs have brought on I should have went to years 
ago. Checking for floral sources and new yards on my motorcycle. 40 MPG 
motorcycle as compared to 9mpg on a ton and a a half truck.

bob

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