> Total  changes in the last 5 years since ethanol??  
> Less than 10% total acreage.   Hardly a huge change.

No, I'm sorry, but the above is simply wrong.  See below.
But the issue isn't total acres, it is the change in the relative amounts
grown for fuel, feed, and human food.  Different hybrids are planted for
each, and different cultivation practices are used for each.

"More than one-third of our corn crop is used to feed livestock. Another 13
percent is exported, much of it to feed livestock as well. Another 40
percent is used to produce ethanol. The remainder goes toward food and
beverage production."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/31/opinion/corn-for-food-not-fuel.html?_r=0
http://tinyurl.com/owpumfo

So, this implies that as of 2012, the US grew corn for these purposes:
33% or more for Feed
13% Exported
40% Ethanol
14% or less for Domestic Food/Beverage 
	
> Bashing the hands that feed us for
> their planting techniques, or acreages 
> is not one of the items on my list.

Who is it that feeds us again?  Is it a corn farmer growing corn for
ethanol?  How would that work - I like sweet corn, not high-octane corn!

Please recall that there would be no concern over planting techniques if not
for the defective product sold to these farmers, a seed coating that won't
stay on the seed.

> Hopefully this problem in Canada will be put to bed with this additive.  

As I explained, it is a band-aid that can only reduce the problem, even in
the best scenario.   Nothing will be actually solved by the use of the
additive.

> We are well on our way to making ourselves persona non grata...

With who?  Golly, I thought that beekeepers were stakeholders with a voice
in the process!  At least that's what I heard the say at the meeting held
about this corn-planting dust issue months ago down at USDA Beltsville, MD
HQ.  Does someone expect us all to just sit down and listen to the voices of
denial that hand-waved away the problems in Germany only to allow them to
repeat here?  I find the current harsh, shrill, and confrontational tones
on several issues currently being discussed on Bee-L to be indicators that
we should probe these areas more, if for no other reason than to determine
whose oxen are being gored by simple questions, and which viewpoints are
nothing more than paid advertisements.

So, to review:

Corn rootworm?  One of the best ways to control the pest is to stop growing
so much corn, which is possible with the elimination of the  taxpayer-funded
boondoggles where corn is turned into ethanol that gums up the fuel system
in every MG ever made, and quite a few Volvos, too.

Seed coating won't stick to corn seed?  Compare and contrast Germany's best
practices with the proposed Canadian practices.  Why should anyone settle
for less?  Germany has had five years head start to work out the details, we
should learn from their experience.

New technologies for bee virus control or even varroa control being offered
as poster-children for yet another ag product to be introduced too fast with
not enough testing?  Look at what happened with seed coatings on corn, and
don't be such a cheerleader.  

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