Blane White said:

>> I do agree that even if the beekeeper had treated and been reinspected
>> with no beetles found on the second inspection there may have been
>> beetles in the hives

and Barry Birkey said:

> Which proves one of the points being made and that is, making laws and
> inspections does not stop critters from moving about our country.

There is a world of difference between "MAY be" (after treatments and
reinspection) and "KNOWN to be", without any treatments.

With "may", the risk of spreading the pest is a statistical probability.
With "known", it is an absolute certainty.

>You make it too strict for beekeepers where it hurts their pocket book and
> they will find a way around the regulations. It's no different in my line of work
> when it comes to city and county regulations and permits regarding construction.

HA!!!!  Your city/county likely adopted BOCA (the nationwide building code standard,
for those who live outside the US) long ago, and I know that any building and zoning
department both can and will order even the smallest "code violation" fixed, or condemn
the entire building.  That's a very big stick, and it has sharp pointy spikes still dripping
with the blood of architects, PEs, and contractors who tried to "find a way around" the regs.
(It should be explained that I have designed and built several houses under my own
engineer's seal, and been forced to explain at length things like why cantilevered beams
for lofts do not require a support post at the far end to building and zoning officials that could
not even spell "cantilever".)

> If our government would set reasonable laws and regulations in these areas,
> more people would be willing to play by the rules.

Yes, but I know of no "unreasonable" rules in place now (but Bob's description of what
was going on in Illinois may be an exception).  No one else has asked, so I'll ask Blaine.

Blaine - why didn't the state of MN fine the heck out of the beekeeper who flaunted your laws?
Why wasn't he told to never return?

The only thing worse than an "unreasonable" law is one that is toothless or inconsistent.

                jim