posted on May 14, 2002 07:25:27 PM new
Has anyone else noticed the decline in honeybees? I guess Bush thinks that honey is the only by-product of the busy bees because he's cut funding for studying methods of reducing the bee's decline.
posted on May 14, 2002 07:46:53 PM new
I wish I still had my website up. I go on there about the West Nile Virus making its debut in NYC and a friend of mine cheering me up every day with rants about Malathion sprays having no purpose but to protect the land developers...
posted on May 14, 2002 08:38:15 PM new"... beekeepers from California to Virginia are scratching their heads at the Bush administration's proposal to close three of the four Department of Agriculture bee research laboratories ..."
There has long been a very vocal group that has attacked the Honey Bee Lobby (yes, there is one and it has long been powerful in thr halls of Congress). It has always bee the sing-song of the Lobby to say that if it wer not for them, few if any crops would ever get pollinated. Therefore, the massive layout of taxpayer cash to totally subsidize the industry.
Skeptics scoff at this notion, including many scientists. At last they have a voice in Bush, Jr. Now we can see who is right and who is wrong.
posted on May 14, 2002 09:46:57 PM new
When I worked for the Extension Service, our section regularly met with the State's Ag. Department. Over ten years ago VDACS was inspecting hives for mites. At that point I was interested in keeping bees but became discouraged by the losses of hives to mite infestations and the closeness of neighbors, one of whom was deathly allergic to bee stings. Several friends have empty beehives now - because of problems associated with mite. One had her hives stolen - the bees had become so valuable. There aren't many large farms left in my county so it's hard for me to say what goes on in large agribusiness.
posted on May 15, 2002 12:44:04 AM new
Maybe they can send all the people in prison on drug charges out with an artists paint brush to pollinate the crops and charge the farmer a fee like the bee keepers.
posted on May 15, 2002 11:15:22 AM new
I found a copy of "An Illustrated Child's Book of Bees".....Maybe I will send it to George at the White House and Laura can read it to him.
Next time he hides out in Florida, the kindergarden class can explain the problem to him.
posted on May 20, 2002 08:45:09 PM new
Merv Griffen to the rescue with his new show 'Fairy Bees'' watch as the hollywood crew pollinate the plants. Sponsored by Touche and Deloite
