Monday, January 7, 2008

I am about to depart for the National Beekeeping Conference to be held in Sacramento, CA from 7 through 13 January 2008. This is a landmark event as both the American Honey Producers Assocation (AHPA)<http://www.americanhoneyproducers.org/> and The American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) <http://abfnet.org/> are meeting at the same place at the same time. These two organizations have been at odds for a number of years and so this represents a beginning of sorts of cooperation between the two groups. Also at this event are meeting the American Association of Professional Apiculturists (AAPA) <http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/aapa/index.cfm> and the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) <http://www.apiaryinspectors.org/>. Finally the American Bee Research Conference (ABRC), and brand new Honey and Human Health Association <http://www.prohoneyandhealth.com/UserFiles/image/Symposium_2(1).pdf>. For many of the above organizations, I have written a piece about what many of the acronyms above mean <http://www.beeculture.com/storycms/index.cfm?cat=Story&recordID=444>.

I have done a number of reviews of the meetings of the American Beekeeping Federation over the years. For specific articles, see my vita at <http://squidoo.com/apis>. The 1995 meeting in Portland I subtitled it; “Has The Federation Come Full Circle?”

“The last American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) meeting in Portland, Oregon was in 1969. It was a momentous one according to all accounts. For it marked the secession of a cadre of members that became the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA). Ever since then, this group has vied with the Federation for the hearts, minds and dues of the United States beekeeper. The division resulted in two national associations walking the halls of the nation’s capital, each seeking to represent a very small beekeeping industry, but often with a different message. It took a long time and common foe, Chinese honey, to finally get both groups to cooperate once again. This culminated in the successful anti-dumping suit that almost doubled the price of bulk honey. Only time will tell, however, whether this auspicious beginning, a celebration of elevated honey prices in Portland in 1996, will bring the Federation full circle culminating in a reunion with the AHPA.

This was premature. I will be interested to see how this second attempt to “bury the hatchet” goes.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Dr.Sanford: I enjoy reading your blog; it's quite informative and has cleared up several questions I had when I first stumbled upon (through a google search, I think) the great cluster of acronyms meeting together this week in California.