I'm not sure what to conclude from the announcement that Horace Bell is
getting out.
What are the 5 stages of coping with death? Shock, denial, anger, grief,
acceptance? I really don't recall. The news certainly was shocking and
hard to believe. I'm not sure at whom I should be angry. The article about
Bell's decision points fingers at China, Argentina and import rules. I'm
sure there's plenty of blame to go around. One might speculate that there
might be a smattering of personal economics involved too.
I have also been wondering how to respond to the subsequent BEE-L post, the
jist of which was that third world countries have a right, even a
responsibility to better themselves and that beekeeping can be/should be an
avenue to do so. Having never been to Argentina or China I cannot make a
personal assessment as to whether they should be called "third world". I
imagine it depends on where you look. Pictures I have seen of Buenos Aries
hardly conjure up third world stereotypes. China, in my mind, comes closer
to the mark. That both countries are able to compete on a global market
says to me that they have achieved more than third world status, and those
who cry foul based on low production costs and slave labor wages may be
crying unfairly. Are production costs really that low? Perhaps when you
compare dollars to whatever is their currency, but that's apples to oranges.
When you compare apples to apples (the buying power of the product; what a
pound of honey will buy here vs what a pound of honey will buy there) I'm
not sure costs are all that different. I confess my ignorance here, as well
as my ignorance as to what sort of government subsidies are paid to
producers; I think none in Argentina, some in China. I do not know the
magnitude.
As I was composing this response, Ron Boganski made a good point about rules
and regulations regarding employee benefits and hive medications. In that
respect the playing field is definitely not level. But this is not unique
to the beekeeping industry. The giant sucking sound as industries go south
of the border echo with fewer benefits for laborers and lesser concerns for
the environment. The trade off for cheaper products produced elsewhere and
sold here will be fewer opportunities for those here. Fewer opportunities
for textile workers, fewer opportunities for factory workers, fewer
opportunities for beekeepers. And lesser concerns for the environment: more
pollution there and possibly less pure products on the shelves here.
The bottom line in economics knows no compassion. If a product can be
produced for less elsewhere and sold for less here, AND if consumers here
care not about the implications of where the product was produced, then the
cheapest product will sell and the more expensive product will sit on the
shelves. As Ron points out, consumer education becomes paramount to getting
a good price for the domestic product. But then one is not only a
beekeeper, one must also be a marketer and educator. I don't know if it
possible to move the scale of Bell's production in that manner. Ron and
other successful small-scale producers market a speciality product.
Commercial producers market a commodity and must compete in a world market
flush with cheap (for whatever reasons)imports and low ball packers. I do
not believe domestic producers can be successful in honey commodities. I'm
sad to conclude that commodity honey producers are doomed in today's
marketplace.
This is not to say that beekeeping in the US is doomed. There are combined
aspects of the industry that will still earn a good living, including
pollination, queen and package production, small scale specialty product
production AND marketing. But, personally I do not see how one can live off
honey production alone. I would love to do so, but my personal life style
is such that I'll not be leaving my day job any time soon.
Surviving solely in today's honey commodity market (if that's possible) will
require changing today's honey commodity market. Leveling the playing field
does not seem possible. Employee benefits enjoyed in the US took almost a
century of active unionism to achieve. Environmental victories were also
not easily won. Now we must bear the price of those victories. I doubt
there will ever be a level playing field in my honey producing lifetime.
Foreign labor and environmental issues will not be resolved domesticly, nor
will they be resolved where they exist quickly.
Educating the consuming public about the impacts of buying imported honey
can be the only salvation for the domestic honey producer. These are the
issues that the political groups (National Honey Board, American Beekeepers
Federation, American Honey Producers Association, etc.) deal with. Would
that they could all get on the same base.
In the meantime, I grieve over the industry's loss of the Horace Bell Honey
Company. I grieve for Horace and Luella Bell and their immediate and
extended family. And finally, I must accept their decision to put away
their smokers.
I wonder what will be the imapct on the rest of the industry. I fear others
may follow the Bells' lead. As more beekeepers leave there will be less
supply of domestic honey, to the benefit of the specialty item marketers but
of little consequence to honey commodities. I'm more concerned about the
impact on the vegetable and fruit growers. The real impact will be felt
when there are too few beekeepers to meet pollination needs. Already being
felt by the almond industry, other members of the agricultural community
will too feel the pinch. As the demand for fewer available hives drives up
the pollination prices, so too will the prices of domestic fruit and
vegetables rise. Possibly pollinating beekeepers will be able to make a
good living from their trade. Possibly new pollinating beekeepers, lured by
the promise of a good living will join the beekeeping fraternity. Or
possibly higher domestic fruit and vegetable push more industry to foreign
shores.
The loss of the Horace Bell Honey Company should be a wake up call to
American consumers.
Aaron Morris - thinking we've lost more than another beekeeper.
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