More people don't get into beekeeping because of start up costs also.  I am
starting my 3rd year.  In planning for expansion I just purchased a 12 frame
Dadant extractor for approx $900.  I am also trying add an additional 10 new
hives.  This means in addition to packages and some splits I must purchase
and assemble new boxes.  To add new hives, I must also add more supers to
assemble.  I could go on and on but the bottom line it gets expensive to expand.
 
 
 
At 03:21 PM 1/28/98 -0500, you wrote:
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Walter Patton <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Wednesday, January 28, 1998 1:59 PM
>Subject: Re: NATIONAL HONEY BOARD IMHO 2
>
>
>>
>>Thank you LLoyd for the compliment and the response. I always like
>>statistic's and wonder where you got your information. I also question if
>>it is 47 % of the honey consumed or 47 % of honey packed by packers.
>
>At the ABF convention 2-3 weeks ago we were told that in 1996 only 47% of
>honey used in the US in 1996 came from domestically produced honey.
>Frankly, I wasn't surprised as I have the recollection the figure has been
>around 50% for several years.  The statement was made at one of the meetings
>by a USDA guy, but I know the NHB is using the same figure.  Suggest you
>contact them if you want to know the source.  http://www.nhb.com.  My guess
>is the data refer to amount of honey packed, not consumed, but I really
>don't know.
>
>>can't believe that more red blooded US Americans would not take up bee
>>keeping if the wholesale prices of honey were better. Many made strong
>>commitments by expanding their operations when the wholesale prices were up
>>last year and now the expansion has come to a halt with the lower prices
>
>Well...beekeeping is hard work, sometimes it "hurts", few today choose the
>life of a "farmer", as in most agricultural pursuits today, the capital
>investment is reasonably high, etc.
>
>>        I recognize that the NHB is a real part of the beekeepers life
>mandated by
>>congress at the request of honey industry ( mostly packers) . So we can not
>>arbitrarily abolish the NHB and the bee keepers of America could control
>>the growth and direction that the NHB takes in the future if we could get
>>up off our collective lethargic dead behinds and make our voice heard .It
>>has always amazed me that beekeeping takes more courage, grit and
>>determination then most occupations and yet beekeepers are willing to be
>>like the masses in America who are like oysters sitting on the ocean floor
>>with their mouth wide waiting for whatever might fall in regarding
>>Beauracratic Intervention into their lives. This bothers me and I fear for
>>my children's future if these feelings of impotence expressed by the masses
>>by not voting, staying informed about the issues, and not challenging the
>>issues as they are brought forth by the Beauracrats at the urging of some
>>special interest groups who have learned the ease of buying influence.
>>         I do not pretend to know the answers and I do know that the issues
>should
>>be decided by the group that the action will affect. The NHB pending action
>>will cost all U S honey producers of any size a penny per pound in addition
>>to the penny per pound that the bee keeper pays when his price is reduced
>>by the first handler. The money could be well spent and the US producers
>>should have the control always in how the program is structured. Hells
>>Bells we pay for it. Whoops I'm about to over look the huge contribution by
>>the packers for the 88,000,000 million pounds of honey that was imported
>>last year. And man they should not be forgotten and they do have the
>>control. If producers got control maybe the fee for foreign honey could be
>>2 or 3 pennies per pound. All these foreign countries have Value Added Tax,
>>Duties, and Tariffs or restrictive import regulations that make it costly
>>and difficult to export US honey into their country. And the advertising
>>dollars are important and we could spend more of the money on advertising
>>at home to drive up per capita consumption in AMERICA. Maybe we could make
>>the sources of origin statement accurately reveal the amount of US honey is
>>in the jar. About corporate subsides why should US taxpayers pay for
>>"Branded Marketing Program " which is brokered by the NHB to pay 50 % of
>>cost that are incurred by a company trying to enter a foreign market.
>>Mostly for large companies as there is a $ 10,000 minimum.
>
>I did not know there was a $10,000 minimum.  Now, that makes no sense at
>all!  How is one to "get started" with a minimum like that!
>
> Problem is that
>>the large packers get 50 % of there marketing efforts paid for by federal
>>subsidy and they sell imported honey. I hope I ' m not too far off on my
>>statements and if I am I can take the heat, flame away.
>>        My fellow beekeeper Americans it is time for us all to take a stand
>and
>>collectively, like our beloved honey bees worked towards the common goals
>>that will reinforce and jump start the US Beekeeping Industry. We could put
>>some of our young and retired people to work tending to the Divine
>>pollinators, and keep America strong.
>>        Some one please advise if this posting gets on Best of bee-l.
>>----------
>>> From: Lloyd Spear <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: Re: NATIONAL HONEY BOARD  IMHO
>>> Date: Sunday, January 25, 1998 6:45 AM
>>>
>>> Walter, I think you said it very well.  The only problem is the "NHB" is
>>all
>>> we have.  It would certainly be better to have something else, but the
>>NHB
>>> was established by an act of congress and as a matter of reality it
>>exists
>>> and we have to work with it.  In my opinion, the real problem is that the
>>US
>>> only produces 47% of the honey that is consumed.  If we were producing
>>> 80%-90% and honey were sitting in warehouses because it couldn't be sold
>>it
>>> would be another matter.
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Walter Patton <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Date: Saturday, January 24, 1998 1:56 PM
>>> Subject: NATIONAL HONEY BOARD IMHO
>>
>
>
Steven Albritton
LDS Communications, Sports America, Chauvin Honey Farms
Monroe, Louisiana