?>> I would be interested in why exactly you feel there is no possibility of 
the Mexico border opening other than simply a gut feeling

>But beyond that, the importation of cheap bees from Mexico would destroy 
>the beekeeping industry in this country.

Under WAS rules, who wins and who loses cannot be a consideration. 
Phtytosanitary determinations and international rules should decide the 
outcome.

All that withstanding, the US plays by the rules when it works in the favour 
of powerful US lobbies and ignores them when they don't.

So you are both right.  Bob by the rules, Pete by the way things usually 
shake out.

Nonetheless, money talks and we are in the early innings.  Which lobby is 
stronger -- almonds or beekeepers?

We have seen what the almond people can do -- instantly and effortlessly 
bringing millions and millions to bee research which was on life support and 
gasping its last breath.

Beekeeper groups have been wasting their ammo on one another and in-fighting 
for decades.  Every time the industry pulls together -- even a little --  
both factions are astounded.  Normally National meetings draw numbers in the 
hundreds, but I hear that Galveston has over 1600 pre-registrations, even 
though nobody is expecting great weather.

There is a message here somewhere. 

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