Hello All:
     I became involved in this thread because of first hand knowledge of
federal regulatory programs in the USA, I believe that it may not be in the
best interest to  honey bees to apply regulatory inspections to beekeeping and
honey production.  I believe that I should clarify my position a bit further
for the sake of understanding.
     I am not opposed to "organic" anything.  For those of you who have read my
files on the use of MO, you'll notice that one of the most compelling reasons
for using MO was my eagerness to find an acaricide which was bee and nature
friendly.
     Perhaps I have committed the  sin of being too brief in an effort to be
kind to my fellow subscribers.  Now I realize, that I may have saved having to
repeat my postings on the same subject.
     Fact.  I said that some of you "may not know what you are talking about"
and used a very well known Spanish proverb to emphasize my point.  My
apologies, I should have been precise and to the point.
     I am a fourth generation beekeeper and have worked with honey bees ever
since I was old enough to walk and carry a smoker.  Long enough!  I am amazed
at anyone who thinks that they can produce organic honey in an unrestricted
environment.  It is just simply impossible.  Bees have the habit of getting
into the most unpredictable places and with today's environmental conditions, I
can not imagine how beekeepers are going to be able to produce "organic"
labeled honey to meet the stringencies of regulatory inspection.
As part of regulatory inspection, there is such a requirement as "truth in
labeling." I have not read the proposed legislation; hence I can not make an
intelligent comment about its contents.  However, I would assume that to meet
the requirement for "organic"  honey should be free of anything that is not
organic, or else it would be mislabeled and not pass the type of federal
inspection that I used to know during my tenure in inspection services.  If the
standards for "wholesomeness" and for "truth in labeling" have not changed,  I
sincerely think that there will be far and few beekeepers that will own
restricted and isolated facilities to produce "organic" labeled honey in
accordance with federal standards of inspection.  Again, please remember that I
am saying if similar standards are written into the law as those utilized for
such food products as meat and poultry.
      Conclusion:  Should the "organic" law be similar to those I have
mentioned, and should it be applied as it is applied to meat and poultry, there
wont be any organic honey!  It is just not possible to produce cost effective
"organic" honey and federal inspectors will have a field day.  A lot of
beekeepers will disappear just like so many poultry and meat producers have
disappeared from our markets in the last 50 years.  With today's mite's menace
and disappearance of the keepers the bees, is it possible that honey bees
continue to thrive?  I doubt it.  We, those who know about honey bees, and yes
I consider myself as knowing something about honey bees, have to be very leery
of introduction of factors, however well intended, that might contribute to
enhance the decline of our beloved honey bees.
     I hope that this explanation has clarified the reason for my fears.
Best regards.
Dr. Rodriguez
Virginia Beach, VA