Mike Stoops wrote:

>how can anyone defend the willy nilly unregulated movement of bees when
there is the risk of spreading the dreaded CCD? 

First of all, no one knows what CCD is and IF the bees carry it. It might be
 factors in the environment, in which case it makes no different if the bees
are moved. Second, if it is already present in most states, it equally makes
no difference if the bees are moved. 

Which would kill the bee industry quicker? A disorder that has not been
identified, or quarantines that prevent the beekeepers from earning a living
by pollinating crops? Which would kill the industries that depend upon the
bees for pollination? More apples from China, anyone? 

You have heard the expression: "the cure is worse than he disease". To
restrict beekeepers from moving about the would probably do nothing to solve
the problem, would make a huge headache for the highway patrols trying to
enforce and would no doubt bankrupt most large scale bee operations. 

History shows that honey bee quarantines don't work anyway, so a lot of
money gets spent and a lot people get hurt for nothing.

As I have said in the past, it behooves us as beekeepers discussing
beekeeping to include all beekeepers in the equation and not work up
scenarios that pit "us" against "them". Also, consider the growers that need
the bees and the people that eat the fruit. It's really all "us". 

pb

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