Thanks for the reply Allen. I am recovering from a medical procedure and may
not make perfect sense as still drugged up but will try.

Having been around commercial beekeeping all my life I would like to bring
up the Agriculture act of 1970  which provided for bee loss from pesticides
by beekeepers. in effect from 1967-1978.
At first glance one might overlook the fact the bill was brought about by
chemical companies.
Handled through the ASCS ( USDA local office) the bill lobbied for by
chemical companies was to get tax payers to pay for beekeeper losses and
kind of hush money for beekeepers.
The reason I bring up is talk of getting another bill started is
circulating. Chemical companies have the lobbyist power to push such a bill
through congress.
Compared to the handouts farmers get the cost would be very small.
Most ABC XYZ and Hive and the Honey bee detail the way the 1967-1978
indemnity bill was set up.
(pg. 1188 of the 92 edition of the "Hive and the Honey Bee").
The 1970 bill provided :
$20 for each hive destroyed
$15 for each hive severely damaged
$5 for each hive moderately damaged
7.50 for each queen nuc destroyed
$5 for each queen nuc moderately damaged.

I personally never used the program but the program helped many beekeepers
stay in business.

Before a few blast subsidies think about blasting cattle, corn and bean
handouts as those are seeing the highest prices in decades. Not in danger of
disappearing.

Consider if the organic beekeepers want 60,000 beekeepers with a single hive
( vanishing of the bees)
then we will need a ready supply of package bees, queens and nucs.

I have found many people reject all ideas other than their own at first and
then slowly ponder reality.

Over the next few years I predict talk will increase about setting up such a
program again. All losses had to be verified under the old program (detailed
in the bee books) not simply fill out a form.

If the answer (as proposed by several on the list) is dialog between the 
USDA
& beekeepers then money has to be involved. Beekeepers are busy people and
see little reason to simply fill out forms.

I expect 2012 will be my last year in active beekeeping so not posting for
personal gain.

The local USDA never returned my detailed phone call concerning hive
problems.

I predict beekeeper pesticide problems will increase over the next decade.
especially if chemical companies keep pushing for sprays when bees are on 
the bloom. growers always combine sprays together so hard to say what adding 
fungicides with systemics might produce.

bob

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm