On Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:38:48 -0500, Dick Marron <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>But I may be wrong. What organic practices do you see that would work in a commercial 
operation?

I have said this before but it bears repeating. The organic beekeeping rules in this country are 
based on having the bees working pesticide-free forage. If beekeepers believe that commercial 
farming practices are harming their bees, they should move the bees away from these areas. 
This will have at least two effects. One, beekeepers can see for themselves if the problems they 
are having are caused by commercial farming  -- or not -- if they are not anywhere near these 
areas. Secondly, due to the lack of bees to pollinate, farmers will have to rent bees and the 
beekeeper can either put into the contract what can and cannot be sprayed while they are there, 
or else adjust the pollination fee to offset whatever losses are incurred performing the service. 

What you don't want is a war between beekeepers and farmers, as Dr. Medhat Nasr so effectively 
pointed out this weekend at the SABA Seminar. If the future is some form or variation of organic 
and/or sustainable model of agriculture, we have to go there together. You can't force your 
mindset on the rest of the population, they have to be won over but effective arguments. One of 
the things we now have that is weakening our case is heavy dependence on chemicals to control 
our pests. The farmers know this and they are perfectly justified in pointing this out. How can 
we condemn them for using any means possible to be productive and make a living, if the 
beekeeping industry is doing the exact same thing? 

Put your own house in order, get it right, set an example. Don't look for somebody else to 
blame for all your problems, who wants to hear that anyway?

pb

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