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Dan Rather report on bee shortage in Calif almonds

53K views 216 replies 41 participants last post by  Beeslave 
#1 ·
Hope you got a chance to see this report on CBS, from a commercial stand point, what did think positive or negitive?

http://youtu.be/oJ5riRX1_3w
 
#103 ·
I want to preface this by saying that I'm a small time hobbyist and I'm not even qualified to carry a hive tool for most of the people on this forum. That said…I live in the Midwest where corn is king and soybeans are a close second. It seems to me that when the government decided to get in the business of subsidizing corn (a food crop) to be made into fuel for vehicles, all bets were off. Whatever it takes to produce more "gasohol" is just OK with them.

30 years ago farmers were doing away with fence rows to gain a little more yield per acre and that was about it for pheasant and quail habitat. The bunnies disappeared, the coyotes moved in and the deer population exploded…now the deer are like the rabbits used to be except they are a bunch harder on your car when you hit one.

I'm in the process of moving to central Illinois so I spent a little time driving around up there looking for an apiary location…Corn, soybeans and housing subdivisions as far as the eye can see.

Bee habitat…what bee habitat?
 
#107 · (Edited)
My original part of this discussion was about what is happening here where I live.....not about farming practices in CA. Specifically my comment was about the planting practices of the corn crop and the seed treatments. How much no-till corn is planted in CA Keith?

Wildbranch- Option 1.....they spray it with round up anyways

CG3 and Birdman-most are aware and some understand what is happening.

Haraga-I grew up working on farms. I've been here in the country my whole life. I have friends who make a living and support their families cash cropping. I've helped them fix their equipment......I've had conversations with these friends on how some practices affect the pollinators. Those aren't the ones causing the trouble. It's the ones who don't care as long as it doesn't affect them that cause the problems.
 
#108 ·
.I've had conversations with these friends on how some practices affect the pollinators. Those aren't the ones causing the trouble. It's the ones who don't care as long as it doesn't affect them that cause the problems.
neonicotinoid insecticides are used very extensively and have been for a long time now, a lot of farmers would not consider these types of seed treatment insecticides lethal to the bees. you are referring to the use of neonicotinoid insecticide use right?
 
#115 · (Edited by Moderator)
this is a beekeeping forum, so my question is why would you folks ever defend anything that is or has been or will be harmful to bees.
There is a reason why there are people farming large amounts of land organically. And guess what they have huge brand new combines just like the other non organic corn farmers. the only difference is in the profit margin. how come you smart guys dont ever talk about how the government now subsidizes drain tiling.
If you dont care about anything but money then you would cut down every tree line, plow over every stream and run drain tile.
(pump your hives full of crap and forget this reality)
But on the other hand if you love this job and get more out of it than just money you would show some compassion for the less fortunate.
or just continue to tell us how good you are and wait for the whole thing to IMPLODE.
Why would Johnstons bees do well in the mountains???
 
#135 ·
hey bird if commercial beekeeper was in the dictionary it would read

Commercial beekeeper- intuitive, tenacious, inventive, independent, and most important makes livelihood off beekeeping ALONE.

It is a lot different when you and your loved ones rely on the health of these little bugs.
 
#136 ·
its spring you had better bee doing the shake shake shake. there are so many ways to do this job successful. a person in the midwest who wants to make a honey crop is so much different than someone who wants to farm bulk bees and pollinate crops. if an old queen is still laying today in a warm climate the only thing you could do to keep em in the box is to shake shake shake.
 
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