Hello Keith & All,

All of us are putting in the time (and money) to bring our hives back which 
really has little to do with California almond pollination.

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getting superceded after weeks and hardly last a couple seasons.

I need strong hives in spring to fill Missouri pollination contracts and to 
make splits to replace winter losses.

California almond pollination for the midwest beekeeper has never been a 
big money maker for us but created cash flow at a time when bees normally 
would be sitting idle. The promise of huge pollination fees last year were 
quickly dropped to below the year pricing before because of rejected hives.

Almond growers  (or brokers) are going to have to come forward with better 
ways of doing business before the current attitude with Midwest beekeepers 
is going to change.

California almond growers crapped in their nest when they went to Florida 
and talked those beekeepers into sending hives and then many beekeepers 
only were paid for part of their hives or had loads turned at the border 
for small hive beetle( or had to pay big bucks for fire ant clean up).

The answer is simple and wrote about by me in my spring ABJ article. 

HIVES BEING CONTRACTED FOR ALMONDS NEED TO BE INSPECTED BEFORE SHIPMENT 
FROM POINT OF ORIGIN AND PLACEMENT GUARENTEED. 

I amde the point in my spring article and see as the solution. One 
California broker said he would pay for an airline ticket so the midwest 
beekeeper can see the  grading process and the hives rejected. Duh! 

We will pay for a ticket for the almond grower and broker to grade before 
shipment! The price will be set before shipment. 

Then we ship and end of problem!

One large California broker told me by phone two different times in the 
last month he is hesitant to take our bees if we send to Texas first. The 
reason is simple! He knows border issues are increasing this year due to 
pressure from our fellow Northern California beekeepers.

Fire ant issues (which cost time and money are solvable as loads do enter 
Calif.). How about all the loads which have went through over the last many 
years with fire ants which were either not checked or the fire ants did not 
like the spam?)

The current California SHB policy of starting SHB inspections last year 
after 8 years of letting loads with SHB roll in. SHB IS coming to northern 
Calif. no matter what is done. 

To sum the situation up:
The problems at the border combined with the chance of having hives 
rejected is not worth the risk of even not getting paid for trucking let 
alone not getting pollination fees.

When in California I always stayed in the camp of the out of state 
beekeepers. A higher number of hives were involved than the largest 
California broker controls. I believe I understand their mindset better 
than most.

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

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

True many beekeepers will keep dragging hives into California and taking 
whatever deal they are offered by brokers & growers but many will not. The 
number of those which will not is growing fast!

Bob

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