Relating to bee colony losses in France

As in most countries where the mite appeared there was a period of loss,

due to beekeepers being unaware, inexperienced in regard to this
invasion.

The losses as far as I am aware could never be described in the manner
as described by Rick Drutchas.

But the present state of Beekeeping in the E.U. is now under review. The

situation is being considered as one of grave crisis - due to many
reasons.

From a recent Commission for Agriculture and Rural Development report,
several interesting
comments/propositions may be pointed out:

06/11/2001
"Report on the report of the Commission on the application of
rule(CE)n°1221/97 of the Council containing general application rules
for actions targeting improvement in production and commercialization of

honey."
Reporter:Astrid Lulling

(My translation from French language!)
1.Considering the cries of alarm from the European Apicultural sector
which is confronting more and more structural problems. The latter
causing the alarming disappearance of beekeepers and compromising the
creation and renewing of beekeeping businesses, indispensable from the
point of view of social as well as environmental for the assurance of
cultivated and wild plants throughout the E.U.

2.Considering that the Commission appears to be unable to measure the
consequences resulting from this immediate danger on the equilibrium of
the European ecosystem

3.National centres for improvement in statistics.
The softening in budgetary methods established with regulation 704/2001,

if not itself a bad thing, risks to reinforce the differences in
interpretation by member states as well as remove the only statistical
data available based on annex II of rule 1221/97..........it appears
indispensable to improve and standardise the national statistical tools
viewing price to producers, calculation of production costs, as well as
the
ability to follow national stock trends....... On this basis, it is
proposed to create national centres of analysis with the participation
of producer organisations.

4.Considering the very grave damage to bee populations in several member

states by systemic insecticides with very long persistence used in seed
coating of important crops have caused massive intoxication of colonies.

5. Considering that there is established effect that from use of these
treatment products for important crops contaminating plants and soil and

provoke disfunctionment in bees, with losses of stocks upto 60% in honey

crops.

The above is followed by detailed propositions.

Plus, studies by French beekeepers (with very limited resources, but
much organisation):
have calculated in various regions honey harvest losses due to the
"presumed" presence of the particular insecticides.
Direct losses from lower pollination rates have not been investigated
(as far as I know).

The organisation that regulates the production of oil producing crops
(CETIOM) were (are!) worried regarding the potential losses in
quality/quantity of final seed harvest.

This maybe then viewed by the particular agricultural sectors in the
following manner:

Pollination dependence of plants via. honey bees is a weak link in the
production system.
Via. plant breeding methods, it would be better in the long term to
market seed that is self fertile and results in dependable quality crop.

Cut out bees, or at least limit to seed production areas.
Also,  open cross pollination may be considered as a "polluting"
mechanism. In such circumstances, bees are considered as pests and as
such must be "controlled".

Our bees are not valued in the same manner by all.

Citrus producers in certain areas of Spain have complained that the
presence of bees has devalued their production of seedless fruit - due
to pollination by bees.

I am sorry that this mail moves from topic to topic, but it indicates
some of the complicated relationships that pressurise beekeeping in the
modern world.

What damages the Beekeeper's cause more than any other, is the inability

to work together long term, either on specific topics or in general
direction.
Divide the opposition and win.

Peter