Not many will be aware of this but a few weeks back three of us 
(commercial beekeepers, two from UK and one from France) visited 
Brussels for a meeting related to the health problems and viability 
issues of the beekeeping sector. All three of us spoke to this meeting 
and our input was well received. The meetings were widely reported on tv 
and in the press in the UK at least. All my friends who know me found it 
funny as it was the first time in years they had seen me in a suit other 
than for weddings and funerals!

The group we were talking to, which included key figures in the 
Agriculture committee, officials with expertise in the subject, and one 
remarkeable MEP, Astrid Lulling from Luxembourg. Took on board all the 
things we were saying. My UK friend spoke about marketing and 
viablility, my French friend spoke at length on the pesticides issues, 
and I spoke about stress, climate, monocultures, resistant varroa and 
the effects these things hitting in combinations have on the bees. Other 
key figures also had other things they wanted in like the GM issue and 
the problems of imported honey containing diseases.

We three have no part in adding the GM and AFB parts, and in fact I am 
not completely at ease with them as I feel the latter in particular 
could be used as little more than a trade barrier as EU honey is not to 
be subject to the same rigours. However, I digress.

A resolution was prepared by Astrid Lulling and passed the agriculture 
committee unanimously.

Yesterday it went before the full European Parliament and passed by a 
huge majority.

The press release is one the rather long link below. I have widened the 
page to stop it wrapping but don't know if it will appear on list that 
way.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/032-42550-322-11
-47-904-20081119IPR42549-17-11-2008-2008-false/default_en.htm


The ecological recovery zones are *mooted* at this stage to be 1 to 2% 
of all arable farms which will be planted in bee forage.

Taken as a package this could be great for us all in the EU over the 
years to come.
-- 
Murray McGregor

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