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Date: | Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:26:33 -0600 |
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> Are these figures correct? Only 600?
Really not accurate figures available.
Some claim larger numbers of hives than owned and others claim smaller
numbers of hives than owned. Some have been claiming the same number of
hives owned every year for decades.
Commercial migratory beekeepers hives are rarely in one place and many lease
or own interests in other operations.
Not black or white but a big gray area.
> There are now less than 600 commercial beekeepers in America. \
I was on the phone earlier with a commercial beekeeper with his hives in
Texas and we were discussing the way the national meetings and the upcoming
KHPA meeting is trending to hobby and sideline beekeepers. Members of both
AHPA & ABF boards both say the reason is the majority of people attending
are hobby & sideline and the presentations reflect the majority.
Just over 3 years ago we had over 3,000 commercial beekeepers
> in America. Bee losses are resulting in costs that are simply not possible
> to recover from.
I doubt the figure of 3000 has been correct for many years. A thousand might
be a high figure.
>
I see fact problems with most of the advertisement for mead but Juanse asked
about the number of commercial beekeepers.
I will say the beekeepers I deal with still do business on handshakes and on
agreements over the phone.
The world of beekeepers which attempt to make a living from bees keeps
getting smaller and when many of the older retire the larger beekeepers take
over their operations and few sideliners want to get larger. Young people
today for the most part really are not interested in the lifestyle.
Most of the large beekeeper labor force is imported from other countries
seasonal or Hispanic.
I have made lifelong friends in beekeeping and their friendship has made
successful beekeeping possible. We help each other if need be.
I would hate to start down the road of commercial beekeeping by myself with
only the beekeeping books sold today to guide me.
The hobby beekeeper for the most part looks at hives in a bee yard as each
hive being like a tree needing care . The commercial beekeeper looks at the
same bee yard as a forest needing care not as single trees.
bob
Heading out of state in morning. Need to water my bonsai trees and get to
bed.
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