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<DIV><SPAN class=headline><FONT size=2>Unlike the growers who have been worried
about there being too few bees this year, here's one who is worried about having
too many.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=headline></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=headline></SPAN><SPAN class=headline><FONT size=2>From Visalia
Times-Delta</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=headline><A
href="http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070606/OPINION02/706060331"><FONT
size=2>http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070606/OPINION02/706060331</FONT></A></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=headline><FONT size=2>6/6/07</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=headline><FONT size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=headline><SPAN class=headline><STRONG><FONT size=2>Bees put
seedless citrus at risk</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=headline><SPAN class=headline><FONT
size=2></FONT></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=headline><SPAN class=headline><FONT size=2>Seeds or no
seeds?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT size=2>That is the question I and other seedless mandarin growers will
ask in the next couple of months.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>We planted the seedless varieties because consumers indicated
that a smaller-portioned, seedless, easy-to-peel, wonderfully sweet piece of
citrus is what they wanted (imagine that). Some, like myself, removed acreage
that was not reaching its economic potential. I replanted and waited years to
witness some positive economic rewards. </FONT></P><FONT size=2>Unfortunately, a
problem is threatening the viability of groves like mine — bees. </FONT>
<P><FONT size=2>Each year in April, bees visit my grove to gather nectar and
pollen. Along the way they also cross-pollinate my grove with the pollen of
seeded fruit, causing seeds to turn up in what was supposed to be seedless
citrus.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Yes, those wonderful, industrious and valuable bees can actually
damage my fruit.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>But wait, you say, bees occur naturally and they can't possibly
know they are trespassing. That is true, but the problem is significantly
worsened when bees are brought into my neighborhood by the truckload —
literally. Other growers can spray pesticides to keep out damaging pests that
would cause significantly less in terms of economic damage, but I am prohibited
from doing so for bees. For you see, over the protest of many citrus growers,
beekeepers had legislation passed to keep us from spraying during times bees may
be in the groves.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Dealing with the impact of naturally occurring bees causing
damage is something I could manage. Dealing with the impact of imported bees,
where someone else's economic decisions can adversely impact my operation on my
land is something I can't manage. Why should I have to?</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>We in citrus do not need bees to pollinate our crops. For many
years in spite of that, there have been arrangements made by beekeepers with
many landowners in citrus-growing regions to allow them to place their hives in
or around citrus groves so that their bees can access the groves and beekeepers
can maximize their profit by mining "orange" honey.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Unfortunately, this practice is creating a cross-pollination
issue from which the seedless citrus growers alone suffer the economic
consequences. Cooperation on the part of nearby landowners and beekeepers to
keep bees away from our properties has been spotty at best. The willingness of
beekeeper representatives to engage meaningfully with mandarin growers on the
issue has been virtually non-existent.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Please, give me some room around my property to keep imported
bees from damaging my fruit, the fruit the consumers are demanding. Just locate
the bees where susceptible, otherwise seedless, mandarin varieties are not
grown.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>If I can't produce this fruit for the consumer, citrus growers
in Argentina, Brazil or Spain (where they already have laws protection mandarin
groves from bees) will; thus worsening our balance of trade and, of greater
concern, increasing our reliance on foreign-grown food.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Mandarin growers need help in getting some reasonable protection
in place. We are not interested in causing anyone else economic harm. We are
interested in creating a better balance between clearly divergent economic
interests. We just want to farm our property, growing a crop we know people
want.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>As for me, for now I'll continue to wait to see how much damage
I've incurred. I'll continue to invest in the nutrients, water and take the
necessary attention to produce what hopefully will be a sweet, delectable and
seedless piece of fruit.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Will there be seeds or no seeds? I only wish I could be more
certain of a positive outcome.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2></FONT></P>
<LI><FONT size=2>Richard Moss is a citrus grower in Visalia.</FONT></LI></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV></SPAN><TR><TD valign="top">
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<DIV><SPAN class=headline></SPAN><FONT size=2>Comments by: <B>esroger</B></TD>
<TD valign="top">Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 2:11 pm</TD> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV></TR><TR><TD colspan="2"><FONT size=2>It is regretable that some seedy
mandarin farmers planted pollen susceptable orchards in the wrong places.
<BR><BR>Decisions to plant pollen suceptable varieties were founded on limited
experience and information. It is wrong to blame these failures on neighbors and
beekeepers who have long established and accepted
practices.</TD></TR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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<DIV><FONT
size=1>______________________________________________________</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><STRONG>The Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=1>The Xerces Society is an international
nonprofit organization that </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=1>protects the diversity of life through
invertebrate conservation. </FONT></FONT><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=1>To
</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=1>join the Society, make a </FONT></FONT><FONT
size=1>contribution</FONT><FONT size=1>, </FONT><FONT size=1>or read about our
work, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>please visit </FONT><FONT size=1><A
href="http://www.xerces.org/">www.xerces.org</A>.</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>Matthew Shepherd</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>Director, Pollinator Conservation Program</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>4828 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, OR 97215,
USA</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>Tel: 503-232 6639 Cell: 503-807 1577 Fax: 503-233
6794</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1>Email: </FONT><A href="mailto:mdshepherd@xerces.org"><FONT
size=1>mdshepherd@xerces.org</FONT></A><FONT size=1> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT
size=1>______________________________________________________</FONT></DIV>
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