One of many concerns that I have as a breeder of bees in the USA is the fact
that we in this country do not have access to the work that is being done in
other parts of the globe with regards to the bee stocks themselves. Due to
this limitation we in the USA may be suffering economically due to losses of
colonies due to tracheal mites and varroa etc.
 
I have received requests from many parts of the world in regards to stock.
While other parts of the globe have access to the improvements in stock we
have made here, we do not have the same rights. This is due as I understand
it to a law against the import of foreign races of bees that dates back to
1922.
 
I understand that the importation of bees has many hazards i.e. Mites and
other things that we do not have here in the United States. While I agree
that importation of the bees  is dangerous, I can not for the life of me
understand why in 1996 after half a century of Instrumental Insemination that
we are not allowed to at least import seamen from areas of selected desirable
stocks.( i.e. from Italy , France, Austria or from some place where they have
bees eating mites making honey) It would seem to me that we should at least
be able to import semen from the gene pools of the bee stocks that we now
have.
 
I know all of the reasons for not allowing us to do this, if you would like a
complete list try to bring bee semen into the USA. My main point is this,
practical bee research is a precious commodity and it is extremely expensive.
Why should we limit ourselves to the resources that we have here in the USA.
We need not be so arrogant to think that if some one else develops a bee
resistant to mites or a better honey producer that we can do the same. Even
if we can, at what cost in time and resources.
 
 Please do not misunderstand my motives,  this is not a slight to anyone in
the United States Government or the research community.  It is however an
issue that needs to be addressed by the  American beekeepers. This is in fact
a law, and I for one would like to see it modified at the very least to allow
the importation of semen. I think it would be, for the good of the United
States Beekeeping community. It would even allow for the creation of joint
research projects between countries working with same stocks. The benefits
would be many and the draw backs few.
 
I would be very interested to hear any and all comments on this issue as it
is something that needs to be addressed by the United States beekeeping
fraternity. If any one wishes to contact me directly please feel free,
however, I am interested to hear how others feel on this subject. I in fact
would welcome the open disscussion of this topic.
 
Waiting for your comments  Dean