>For the past 10 years the all beekeepers in Finland have been treating
varroa

> practicly only with formic, thymol and oxalic...In EU formic, thymol and
> oxalic treatments are permitted in organic
> production


Ari, many "organic" beekeepers in the U.S. do not condone the use of
organic acids or essential oils, although I think that formic may currently
be allowed in organic certification.

>One thing to add, the beekeeping in Europe is different from North America

If the above were allowed in U.S. organic and sustainable beekeeping, then
there are plenty of commercial beekeepers in the U.S. that would then be
considered to be organic.  My own operation has easily grown from 500 to
1000 hives over the past decade, depsite the sale of nearly half our stock
each spring, and we don't use synthetic miticides.  But I would certainly
not be accepted into the "organic" fold.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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