Randy
 
 
>Such doom and gloom would have been appropriate in 2008, but by  now, it
just

> shows how far behind the times "Time" has  become.
 
Colin and I spent over an hour with this reporter, then sent him on to talk 
 to Randy.  We stressed that the media focused on a myth - bees aren't 
going  to completely disappear any time soon. 
 
From our perspective, the loss of beekeepers and increased barriers to  
keeping bees combined with lack of good quality plentiful food resources (such  
as encouraged by poorly thought out programs like alcohol fuels turning the 
corn  belt into a green desert) were more substantive issues.
 
We also stressed that PPB beekeeping was a factor in some beekeeper  
failures, but we dislike the term.  As Pete mentioned, what was good  beekeeping 
management a decade ago won't cut it in the current situtation - too  many 
newer variables.  When I started, we only worried about foul  brood.  Now 
we've an ever growing list of pests, parasitoids, and  diseases.
 
Yet, we get the same old story - apparently walking through a beeyard with  
a failed beekeeper, who really doesn't know what caused his failures, 
trumps  common sense and data. 
 
Finally, he didn't pay much attention to the good news - people world wide  
are now aware of a problem, even if the media continually spreads the wrong 
 messages.  And, lots of  new people getting into beekeeping,  worldwide.  
The bubble may have burst in UK, but some of those beekeepers  are going to 
stick.
 
Jerry

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