> What about the treatment free commercial beekeepers? Them too, I guess?

I don't think the issue is treatment free, per se, but whether the hives are crashing from mites. If a beekeeper has stock that can tolerate mites and not crash, he or she is not a burden on the neighboring beekeepers. 

Whereas, even if so and so is treating, if the hives are crashing, the mites are being delivered to hives in the vicinity. We don't know exactly how this happens, but it does. 

And I doubt anyone is proposing some sort of regulation requiring best management practices. it would be unenforceable in any case. The dissemination of information is the only way to address this problem. If people have the information and don't use it, what are you gonna do?

Pete

             ***********************************************
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