What I see is less commercial operations and hard times for many this year.
From Springfield, Missouri south most beeks have been feeding bees all 
summer
and a few have  depopulated many of their  hives.
Syrup prices are at record levels and fuel costs are expected to rise over
the next few months ($4 a barrel today!).
Those in the business of selling hives report mostly the same beeks buying
hives.
An officer of the American Beekeeping Federation said the organization has a
new focus as by far the membership is a majority of small and sideline
beekeepers.
The American Honey Producers are still largely sideline & commercial but not
near the number of members as years ago.
Darrel Rufer (large Minnesota commercial beekeeper) reports a complete
failure of a honey crop by beekeepers in his area.
*In my opinion* if not for California almonds commercial beekeeper numbers
would be cut in half by now.
Bulk honey prices have been around a buck fifty now for quite a few years
but with all the problems I see no new faces jumping into *other* than
sideline beekeeping.
U.S. beekeepers were last able to supply the U.S. around the middle eighties
when first tracheal mites wiped out half the commercial hives which left the
door open to foreign honey. In a few years beekeepers came back then varroa
hit and half the hives went again.
Once packers realized they could replace U.S. beekeepers honey with cheaper
foreign honey (making the connections)  it became very hard for U.S.
beekeepers to sell their honey. Hence the battle to fight China dumping.
*in my opinion* the main reason U.S. packers buy U.S. honey is to blend with
darker imported grades. Not all imported honey is dark but quite a bit from
Mexico & South America is. Most of the time packers can buy all the foreign
honey they want.
The Sioux Bee Coop is the only reason many U.S. beekeepers are still in
business.
The discussion of U.S. beekeepers supplying the U.S. was dropped years ago
and we have learned to accept that most of the honey sold in stores will
come from outside the U.S.
Both the ABF & AHPA have fought hard for honey purity laws and country of
origin labels but packers can afford lobbyists and legal battles. Beekeepers
can not although we won the China battle
but still illegal honey (China honey with another country of Origen label)
comes in.
Local honey is the best buy for honey lovers but only a niche market at
best.
The rule has always been for as long as I have been selling honey that "the
lowest price on the shelf in the supermarket sells the most honey"
Same with ketchup , Mustard and mayo.
I stopped by a buffet (which i rarely do!)yesterday after a day of testing
at a hospital (fasting). Eating healthy making healthy food choices was not
what I saw( other than myself of course!). People were having to turn
sideways to get through the door and piling food so high food was falling
off their plates.
As I left I drove past the largest health food store in the area and only
saw two cars in the parking lot.
I stopped for fuel and waiting in line to purchase a bottle of reverse 
osmosis water behind a line of people buying 32 ounce HFCS "Big Gulps" .
Hopefully people will wake up and start making healthy food choices 
including honey.
Imported or not honey is a healthy food choice.
bob

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm