Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Sunday March 30 1986 a v ' s v iSr 'V These heliYthV leetR face a variety of threaC toss of trade polfdes may mean an end to this family's livelihood bi v y XVv VT V tahns are familiar with the bee — its association justified He currently is a federal collaborator in the USDA M with hard work has provided this state with its Bee Biology and Systematic Laboratory at Utah State m nickname symbol and motto University Nye has studied bees for more than 50 years EL The 1986 farm bill attempts to address the inequities But there may be hard times ahead for the an incredible contributes insect bee that facing honey packers Nye said The bill allows the honey ” more than $20 billion each year to this nation’s economy secretary of agriculture to set a price for honey That price will be about 30 Duane Cox of College Ward is a Under that plan honey producers can “buy back” the beekeeper He is concerned that his son Bryan may not be able to follow in the family trade and tradition a calling one honey produced under the price support program and put it bee expert calls “the most risky form of agriculture" And on the market at close to market value instead of storing it he’s referring to economics not the possibility of getting Nye explained “And that will help he said” The trade problems affect primarily the commercial stung “It’s really an uncertain future for beekeepers” Cox said producers but other problems are looming even for those “Last year was devastating and things aren't really looking who keep bees as a hobby The tracheal mite much better ahead” which yets into a bee’s Cox is one of three commercial beebreathing tubes and weakens the insect in Cache keepers was first detected in County and also is the the United States in county bee inspector 1984 according to Ed for the southern part Bianco entomologist of the county From with the Utah Deboth perspectives Cox sees a wide range of partment of Agriculture The parasite problems on the nori-so- n is now a problem in 27 JV JT m "buy-back- cents-per-pou- third-generati- nd ' for local both states beekeepers commercial and hobbyists A wide variety of problems — including this in the Southeast Northeast and Midwest Bianco told a recent meeting Bridgerland Beekeepers’ Associa- nation’s trade policies local agricultural practices and a pest so small it cannot be detected by the naked eye — are facing those in the US who keep bees both for tion “It isn’t a question of if we’re going to get it (in Utah) but when we’re going to get it” : sees return to the funandprofit Though it affects mostly commercial beekeepers and honey packers inequities in this country’s trade policies regarding honey are costing both honey producers and consumers as well as taxpayers Cox said Although the United States allows imported honey to come in with almost no tariff restrictions other countries place high import taxes on US honey Cox explained Many honey packers in this country are buying and hive after foraging US-produc- ed aV “STSS t hM pre pared for what Bianco considers the inevitable infestation by implementing a quarantine The quarantine prohibits the entry into Utah of bees and equipment from any state known to be infested If mites are a potential worry Cox and Nye agreed the biggest current beekeeping problem is the loss of bee forage a loss due both to urbanization and agricultural practices primarily weed spraying Sweet clover along roadways often is the only bee forage honey packing imported honey and storing under the federal price support program which last year available until the major pollen and nectar crops come locally Nye explained When the county weed department paid domestic producers 688 cents per pound “A good percentage of the honey we consume now is sprays that clover “quite a bit of forage is eliminated” he imported” Cox said “Other countries can dump their said “There’s sweet clover all over the valley we never spray” honey here at 30 cents a pound We can’t compete because of their tariffs” See BEES on page 20 William P Nye a retired apiculturist (beekeeper) with the US Department of Agriculture said Cox’s concerns are I if of the Despite an uncertain future Cox continues his work TEXT: PAT PHOTOS: McCUTCHEON PETE SCHROPP |