# The pulse of the commercial operations



## hex0rz (Jan 14, 2014)

I've been seeing some things surface up recently about commercial pollination operators really taking big hits to their business to the point they want to throw in the towel. The story continues in the news about ccd.

On the flip side, it correlates to the growers not receiving the bees they need for pollination.

Given that there are quite a few of you fellas on here that do this for a living and have the scoop on what's really going on, what is really going on?


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

I don't know that any one person really understands the whole story but I think it's safe to say that reporting on this issue is highly skewed by the perspectives and motivations of those involved in reporting the story. I've yet to see one of these reports pointing out that hive numbers have actually increased the past couple years. Commercial beekeeping has been quite profitable the past decade, yet reporters always seek out stories of failure not success. 
In recent years (fairly or unfairly) the ability of American beekeepers to supply over a million and a half strong hives into the almond orchards in mid winter, a time when hives normally haven't start their population buildup, to be the new benchmark for US colony health. That's a pretty high bar considering how almond acreages have soared in recent years. Throw in a severe drought in California, declining bee forage nationwide, the ever present threat of pesticides and the continuing plague of varroa I find it pretty remarkable that, with only a few spot shortages, almond growers have continued to get the hives they needed in past years and by all accounts probably will this year as well. Aside from the early high bee demand in almonds the pollination of later crops such as apples, cranberries and blueberries benefit from much lower pollination fees because of the glut of strong hives coming out of the California almond orchards. 
All in all I think the bee industry seems to be hanging in there pretty well but the key to success has been and always will be adapting to a changing agricultural picture and being willing to change your management strategies accordingly.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

jim lyon said:


> All in all I think the bee industry seems to be hanging in there pretty well but the key to success has been and always will be adapting to a changing agricultural picture and being willing to change your management strategies accordingly.


True so true,

Sell what people are buying.


1. Considering the current management practices of the "big numbers" people it is my observation that if amitraz becomes unavailable or ineffective in the US for whatever reason the ability to keep the numbers up isn't even going to be up for discussion if the current state of affairs in treatment "technology " is maintained. 

2. If the price of almonds tank for whatever geopolitical reason the price support by which the beekeepers across the commercial industry now maintain their ability to stay afloat financially will dissipate faster than one can say: i'M OUTTA HERE" ......................DEADOUTS FOR SALE at fire sale prices!!


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Honey-4-All said:


> Sell what people are buying.


Yeah.... this week it's, shake shake shake....

http://youtu.be/ZFrNqORIjVQ


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

hex0rz said:


> Given that there are quite a few of you fellas on here that do this for a living and have the scoop on what's really going on, what is really going on?


What is going on is, only bad news is good news for the media.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Keith Jarrett said:


> Yeah.... this week it's, shake shake shake....
> 
> http://youtu.be/ZFrNqORIjVQ




That's Hilarius! I was expecting something completely different.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Well said everyone.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

beesohappy said:


> That's Hilarius! I was expecting something completely different.


Been playing that while shaking bees here last week, gets everybody in the mood. lol


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Things usually aren't as bad as described and hardly ever as bad as predicted.

Did anybody hear? Taylor Swift's belly button has been sighted. Big news on Morning Joe this morning.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Commercial guys correct me if I'm wrong but it seems that commercial guys care about their yards while all others care about their individual hives. The "others" can tell you tons of info about a particular hive whereas the commercial guys speak about this yard or that yard.............what's done and what needs to be done...........


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## TalonRedding (Jul 19, 2013)

sqkcrk said:


> Did anybody hear? Taylor Swift's belly button has been sighted. Big news on Morning Joe this morning.


I believe I heard that on the radio as well. No one ever made a peep when when I let people see my belly button...


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## Barry Digman (May 21, 2003)

Here's an article from the Wall Street Journal.

http://www.wsj.com/article_email/mo...continue-1422057396-lMyQjAxMTA1MDI2NDkyNzQxWj

It really doesn't offer much that any beekeeper, and I suspect a lot of non-beeks, hasn't already heard. Whether it's an accurate reflection or not I'll leave to the actual commercial folks.


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## chillardbee (May 26, 2005)

That reminds me that in the spring of 2011 the local paper wanted to do a peice on local bigger beekeepers because one of the bigger beeks in the area had over a 50% winter kill. Dispite that I told them that I had one of the better years that year 20+% kill I guess it was still note worthy to them. so they asked me about my bees and my thoughts on why bees are dying and blah blah blah. I was happy that spring because after having a few years of 50%-80% winter kill, 20% looks pretty effin' good. Ironically, the following winter was 97% kill. But the glass is half full for me and at least I had 3% left. Still, not a year I like remebering.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Ouch 97% kill that must have been rough! What was the cause if I may ask?


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