Hi Juanse

We are in danger of getting too much into politics here but, briefly:
We have always been a trading nation.  Most were happy when we joined the EEC, but that morphed into the EU - and that is when the problems started.  Most British people do not want to be controlled by laws made to suit other countries and the concept of ever closer integration is an anathema to most of us: we do not want the United States of Europe.  At the moment we seem to be losing so much: immigration is out of control and our population is soaring - we are the most overcrowded country in Europe.  Our services cannot cope - the National Health Service and education system are in crisis - our countryside is being destroyed with ever more houses.  Our manufacturing sector is weak and most of what we buy in the shops seems to be made in China.

It is against that background that we look at our beekeeping.  Surely no-one can deny that movement of bees around the world has caused massive problems, not just with the obvious pests, e.g. SHB and varroa, but exotic strains of other diseases such as Nosema and even EFB.  Then there is the issue of genetic material: now that it has been clearly demonstrated that locally adapted bees are best, why are some hell-bent on trashing that legacy - the answer is profit!
As to world trade, our local supermarket has honey at £0.99 per 340g (3/4lb) - Chinese of course - and that is destroying our markets for UK produced honey.  It is not good to buy anything cheaper from other countries if that closes your home industries and puts people out of work - because that costs big money!

Best wishes

Peter 
52°14'44.44"N, 1°50'35"W

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