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Tue, 18 Apr 1995 12:11:00 -0700 |
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David,
Don't apologize to the non-American readers! I am sure plenty outside
the US are interested in following the response of US beekeepers to Sen.
Coats intelligent remarks about honeybees.
I suppose there is a larger issue here. In many countries, there are
similar threats of reducing or eliminating apicultural research and
programs by governments in their attempts to address defecits and debt.
So, the underlying purpose is not necessarily a bad one (ie. to reduce
government costs), but the politics surrounding it.
It would be most regrettable when valuable research programs (and the
human expertise associated with it) would be completely disbanded for
political convenience while based on incorrect or incomplete
information. As Mr. Coats has so eloquently demonstrated, there is an
ongoing need for us, collectively, to educate and keep our politicians
informed about the indispensable role of bees in modern agriculture. We
must also make them aware of the problems faced by the industry and that
support in research and development is very valuable and cost effective,
especially when industry has direct involvement in the research
direction and its implementation.
If reductions are to come, (in whatever country) lets do our best to
support our politicans by offering well-reasoned and correct
information. Only then can we expect or hope for an intellegent
decision.
My best wishes to the American beekeeping industry for their efforts to
keep apicultural research going!
Paul van Westendorp [log in to unmask]
Provincial Apiarist
British Columbia
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