Bob said:

> When I was in California in December growers were crying about the cost of
> pollination today. Hard to believe they will pay higher pollination fees but
> maybe they will if desperate.

> Many California growers also raise & sell raisens which sold below the cost
> of production last year. Many are bulldozing their grape vines and putting
> in Almonds which should effect Almond prices in the future (lower Almond
> prices) and cause extra hives to be needed for pollination ( my opinion).

A grower's willingness to expand almond acreage speaks much louder
about his insensitivity to pollination fees than his usual whining does.

Don't growers always sing this song?  The only way to truly eliminate the
problem is for beekeepers to partner with specific growers in long-term
relationships where payment for pollination was based upon crop yield.
Yes, both parties would be taking on significant additional risk, but the
current transaction-oriented approach pits everyone against everyone,
and worst of all, rewards cheaters and slick operators.  Only an incentive
to work for and pay for results would allow beekeepers and growers to
realize that they share a destiny.  The best part is that both parties
gain an incentive to work on effective pollination, rather than haggling
over surface-level metrics like "hive strength", and "per hive fees".

> One very large grower/ Almond packer  said to me "every beekeeper which
> has been coming but does not come this year will not pollinate Almonds in
> California again".

Everyone has been told one time or another by some blowhard or another
"you'll never eat lunch in this town again".  The statement clearly reveals
the grower's fears and sense of powerlessness/frustration.

> He was trying to get me in an augument. I had no comment much to his
> dismay. What do the beekeepers on the list think ?

1)  A rational person would interpret the statement as a threat
     of a boycott of some kind against one or more pollinators
     who might decline to participate in the annual road rally
     and hive-tossing competition where the race to the bottom
     of the quality and price curves continues unabated.

2)  While it is impossible for an almond grower to forego pollination,
     it is very possible for him to refuse to pay, or refuse to pay in
     a timely manner.

If you agree with my reasoning, it seems clear that his statement alone is
grounds for his name to be circulated among the pollinators as someone
who has identified himself as a credit risk, and therefore deserves no terms
better than "cash payment upon hive placement", or better yet "payment in advance".

When the supply of hives does not greatly exceed demand, no pollinator
is really "competing" with any other.

> Has been interesting to see the area each beekeeper
> has chosen to spend his/her windfall profits.
> None I have talked to have chosen to save the profits for the next crisis.

That's really scary.  They are creating their own "next crisis" by spending
their rainy day fund.  Looks like they all will have no choice to accept whatever
lame deal they are offered by the almond growers next year, and the year
after that, and so on.


                jim