>We should be glorifying the sustainable bee, fruit, nut and veggie
operations that add to solutions locally and nationally NOT create a never
ending stream of issues that they leave for someone else to clean up.

Brian, I don't think that anyone has issue with the above statement.  The
best way is to set an example that is profitable.  Such an example will be
quickly copied.

I speak to many commercial beekeepers.  This year I can tell them that I've
been keeping bees commercially for ten years now without synthetic miticides
and am making money.  They listen!

They don't listen to scolding or telling them that they are the bad guys.
In our real world, it is up to the consumer to dictate what our agricultural
system will look like.  Growers are all in competition, and will only adopt
practices that are financially competetive.  Otherwise, their operation will
not be sustainable.

Look what consumers did in the case of BSGH milk.  All it took was for them
to pressure a few large buyers to specify that they would only accept milk
from dairies not injecting the hormone, even if it was more expensive.
Changed the dairy industry in a stroke.

My feeling is that we can best improve our practices by setting positive
examples rather than criticizing those who are simply filling a market
demand.

Randy Oliver

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