The quote in vanishing of the bees was:
"Would be better to have 60000 beekeepers with one hive than one beekeeper with 60,000 hive"

The reason the above as well as the 3/15000 is  unrealistic
for the U.S. is the need for bees for pollination. 

The need for large operations to supply the queens, nucs and package bees will as always be needed by hobby beekeepers. If was not true large operations would have been gone by now.

I encourage people to become beekeepers but if replacements for commercial beekeepers do not step forward we are going to see  serious pollination shortages.

BEE-L is an informed list.

Commercial beekeepers are not a majority on the list.

The hearings in Washington years ago looked at U.S. commercial beekeepers. 

Some said let the industry fail as we could get our honey from other countries .

The reason a job shortage exists today is simple.
The stores are full of "made in China" products instead of "made in the U.S.A. "products. 


*Reality *took control of the hearings and the importance of pollination won out over hobby pastimes and foreign honey.

True a few millionare beekeepers exist but a hell of a lot more millionare congessmen.

B.H.



             ***********************************************

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