Chief Apiary Inspector 



This was a very productive year for beekeeping in Massachusetts despite 

 adverse weather conditions; while there was no bumper crop, there was an 

 impressive average of production. 



Moderate temperatures and precipitation during April and May influenced the 

 uninterrupted flying time field bees had to collect nectar and pollen from pussy 

 willow, red maple, dandelions, and fruit bloom. These conditions stimulated 

 rapid hive population expansion ultimately contributing to excessive swarming in 

 late May and June in most Massachusetts counties. Conversely, June was extreme- 

 ly cloudy and rainy. The entire early summer flow was drastically diminished; 

 honeybees were unable to forage for nectar and pollen due to inclement weather. 



No significant rain fell during July and August of 1983. Fortunately the 

 excessive rain that fell in June and extremely warm summer hastened the develop- 

 ment of a very prosperous and abundant goldenrod population. Up until August 

 20, 1983 many colonies were bone light; then a warm Fall enabled most hives to 

 store a substantial crop. Severe frosts did not occur until mid-October. 



As in recent years, the 1983 honey crop did not sell as anticipated. Honey 

 imported from China, Argentina, and Mexico has dominated honey sales on the who- 

 lesale level. Commercial beekeepers are unable to compete cost-wise with 

 beekeepers from developing and third world countries. Honey can be delivered 

 and sold in bulk quantities at U.S. ports for far less than it can be produced 

 in the United States. 



Commodity Credit Corporation, an instrument of the USDA's Agricultural 

 Stabilization & Conservation Service, has instituted a loan program for honey 

 that commercial beekeepers have been unable to sell on the wholesale market. In 

 most cases the beekeepers default on their loans and the USDA keeps their honey. 

 This program has spurred commercial beekeepers in highly productive parts of the 

 country to produce honey specifically to place under loan agreement. CCC honey 

 is either sold to commercial honey packers at about the same price as foreign 

 honey (which is quite a bit less than the initial loan) or given to people who 

 receive public assistance under USDA food programs. 



One school of thought suggests a subsidized price support with the USDA 

 supplying the difference between what packers will actually pay for USDA honey 

 and a fixed parity price according to grade. This move would hopefully enable 

 U.S. honey to recapture a greater percentage of the present market. 



Another school of thought in Washington has proposed to do away with CCC 

 loans all together, forcing commercial beekeepers to fend for themselves. This 

 recommendation could result in a reduction of commercial beekeepers. Crops 

 requiring pollination such as alfalfa seed production, apples, citrus, 

 blueberries, cranberries, etc. would suffer from the scarcity of honeybee colo- 

 nies. Pollination rental fees would increase due to a short supply and great 

 demand. 



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