>It would be of interest to know what circumstances led to the decline and
>demise of these firms.

> financial?

In one case. The note on the door said they were going out of business
because they could not compete in the stores ( the company had honey in
around 150 stores) with foreign honey.

>Was there no young to take over?

Today's younger generation for the most part seems not interested in making 
a
living from beekeeping. In one of the cases the son went into another part
of the country and started a commercial operation and we have worked
together on many projects including bees into Texas & California. He did not
want to keep even his base of operations in Missouri. Missouri is not a big
beekeeping state. Missouri has undependable flows for the most part.


>Were the owners just getting to old ?

The businesses were parted out as no family members wanted to continue.
 I bought parts of all three.

>Was the business and the value of the assets too costly for someone to buy
>the business?

Not compared to other ag business. of course most bankers are reluctant to
invest in bee hives.

Where did all the equipment end up?

All the equipment was  sold to other commercial beekeepers without going up
for auction. Actually without ever being advertised in the bee magazines I
think. Only one was migratory. Al standard equipment went quickly but
equipment which was not standard those beekeepers had trouble selling and I
think enough non industry standard hive pallets for a couple thousand hives
in one operation ended up being burned. The pallets were a dumb design and
had been soaked in creosote.

>It's sad, but these things happen in various segments of the business world
>every day.

True but are these businesses as vital to U.S. pollination interests as the
honey bees? Pollination in my opinion can not be imported. When large
beekeeping outfits close their doors most do so quietly. Bell honey in
Florida sold around a 100,000 single hives when they closed with only a
small add in bee magazines. Was quite a sight to see. Semi trucks lined up
for a half mile to be loaded in daylight and trucks coming in all night
bringing in yards of bees to be sold. I should have taken a few pictures.

The number of commercial beekeepers has been on the decline since WW2.

The springs of 2006 & 2007 culled a few from the ranks never to return.

bob

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