JamesCBach wrote:

> 9.    Given the economic reality in the beekeeping industry here in WA it is
> quite apparent that the industry will continue to slip and slide for the
> next five to ten years.  The average age of commercial beekeepers is
> probably 55-60 which means they will want to retire in a few years.
> What will change in the beekeeping industry to make it profitable enough to
> attract young people and families into the business?


I noticed 3 years ago, the exact same situation here in Virginia, I can
count on one hand the number of beekeepers that showup to state
meetings, under the age of 50. Most of them are University researchers.
The vast majority are retired at least once and by casual visual
inspection the age is taking it's toll. Many will have to discontinue
beekeeping of any real size as it becomes impossible to continue the
backbreaking work.


>   It is my opinion that growers won't find the bees they need
> for pollination in a few years.  Then the dynamics of our business
> environment will change.

        Growers have begun approaching me with innovative plans to ensure they
get bees next year (and it is only July). They include paying 50% down
in Fall so that I don't have to borrow to buy new equipment to expand to
cover the order, finding me an additional contract to cover another
crop, finding me a wintering site at no cost, providing a means to
protect from bear at their cost, providing for selling honey at their
upick or stand with no markup, providing labor to help me unload.
Loaning an unused trailer. Most of these are not costing the grower
additional money as they may simply alter a task they currently do. It
sure may save me additional time/money though.
        These things tell me the dynamics are already changing and I will
continue to eye the business side while maintaining my regular day job.
It will only get worse. I cannot foresee a turnaround soon. My biggest
problem will be in maintaining a small enough business to keep a regular
job. I'm not sure I see a market large enough an a regional level to
support 1,000 hives necessary to maintain a standard of living.

>  But I fear that many will be lost along the way.  Dave says it
> this way:  "Sooner or later, probably sooner, our bubble is going to burst."
>
>
> Best regards,
>
> James C. Bach
> [log in to unmask]

 In Eastern VA the growers can't get the bees and some of them are just
coming to the realization that the crops are irregular partially because
of it. (It seems alfalfa growers here think Honeybees are a pest because
they must be "protected" from pesticide spraying. I expect to be
carefully renting to the enlightened of them in the next 5 years. )

 I know my niche is to rent to those requiring too few colonies to
attract the attention of the only large commercial operation in the
area. The plan is to incrementally bring the rental prices up to a
profitable level and rent each colony as many times as possible (3 in
some cases).

Thom Bradley
Chesapeake, VA