> >Five years ago I suggested commercial beekeepers ban together as a group
> >and let the group negotiate fees and payment methods with the almond
> >grower organizations.

In the Alberta hybrid canola seed pollination, the seed companies hire and
manage the beekeepers and handle payment as well.  The farmers just provide
the drop locations, grow the crops -- and pull beekeepers out if they get
stuck in the mud.

This is great from a beekeeper perspective, since large, well-known
companies write the contracts and even pay advances.  Bankers consider a
contract with large multi-national to be like money in the bank, and
beekeepers, assuming they perform at all acceptably, don't need to always
watch their backs and wonder if they will get paid.

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