Bob and all,

> Package prices keep climbing higher and higher and queens (in the U.S.)are
> getting superceded after weeks and hardly last a couple seasons.

Bob you're correct, I think everyone is batteling this problem.

> The promise of huge pollination fees last year were
> quickly dropped to below the year pricing before because of rejected 
> hives.

Rejected hives got rejected for a reason, there were too many hives here 
without contracts for them, due to poor busness practices by mostly 
out-of-staters. They set the tone when they were leaving thier phone # on 
almond growers trees by the road, saying they have hives for rent. This is 
how poorly some outfits are run, these outfits need to go under.

> The out of state beekeepers control the market. Many think it will take a
> year without enough  bees to wake up California almond growers.

First of all, good hives control the market and set the price. But you are 
right, on the supply side of the equation, with a tighter supply of hives, 
the growers will be waking-up.

> Also many California brokers & growers think they can dictate pollination
> prices. Beekeeper sustainability will dictate future prices.

I sure hope your right on this. I'm tried of watching them give away their 
product and services, but this mostly happens when they're running close to 
the edge.


Keith Jarrett
Calif. 

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