> I have heard more then once from credible sources that
> there is a Federal limit for Amitraz in honey even 
> though its not registered for use in hives in the USA 
> anymore

When the Amitraz registration was voluntarily canceled, 
existing beekeeper stocks could still be used.  (But 
no new purchases were allowed.)  The tolerances
remained in place longer than they should have, as
EPA was being systematically starved for funds and 
staff by the current administration.

But leaving a tolerance "on the books" did not excuse
further purchases and off-label use of the stuff.
This was (and still is) illegal off-label use of
a pesticide in what can only be described as "direct
food contact".

The EPA only last year removed the Amitraz tolerances 
for honey and wax.

http://www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2007-06-13-E7-11324

"All registered uses of amitraz in beehives have been 
cancelled and therefore, the Agency determined that 
the tolerances on honey and honeycomb are no longer 
needed and should be revoked. Consequently, EPA is 
proposing to revoke the tolerances in 40 CFR 180.287(a) 
for residues of amitraz and its metabolites in or on 
'honey' and 'honeycomb'."

> and that a major regional packer in the Midwest
> has moved their internal spec upwards in order 
> to continue to be able fill the warehouse with 
> incoming drums of domestic honey.  

That's very... interesting.  I wonder how they would
sell that honey in the USA, given the revoked 
tolerances, and admission of guilt inherent in 
having any spec other than "zero".

> So what happens Jim when the public across the board
> finds out! 

That's a question to ask that packer in the midwest!

While I specialize in working out what happens after
what comes next, the Alar scare in regard to apples
years ago proved that one is at the mercy of whatever
level of tabloid journalism is practiced. The good 
news is that the public has become jaded after years
of exposure to such journalism.  Just as an example,
let me give a pop quiz - Is milk good for you, or bad
for you this week?  Does anyone really pay much 
attention to such scare-mongering journalism?

One thing that should be clear is that lying is never
a good idea.

> [beekeeping] mostly [declined] since the 1980s era forward.
> Sad state of affairs to have put ourselves in......

We have not "put ourselves" in this state.

We were forced into this state by "World Trade", 
and the associated invasive exotic pests and 
diseases of honeybees that hitchhiked on all that 
world trade.  The trade ramped up in the 1980s, 
and no surprise, that is when we started to see 
the first of the pests and diseases from across 
the oceans appear.

We find ourselves in the unenviable position of having 
our bees and our livelihoods become the canary in the 
dark, dank global coal mine created by negligence in 
world trade, biosecurity, and environmental regulation.  
People who never met any of us continue to internalize 
their profits, while externalizing their costs on us. 

So why blame guys for their choices as to how to try and 
survive the onslaught as best they can?  

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