Hello Lloyd and All,
I read this post on the other list. I can't help but wonder about all the reference to Africanized bees below. Why doesn't the USDA tell us what they already know about AHB from over 16 years of study. Until Dr. Hoffman spoke up last week I thought Africanized bees were a very minor issue. Certainly not worth half of a 1.8 million dollar grant. 


Genetics and Integrated Pest Management Center that will study the
continuing threat from deadly parasitic mites and AFRICANIZED honeybees. The center is funded by a $1.8 million grant from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Initiative for Future Agriculture
and Food Systems.

The grant will establish the largest university-based, honeybee
research and extension infrastructure in the country.

The new center will focus on developing solutions to the TWO MAJOR 
threats to honeybees, insects that are responsible for agricultural
pollination valued in the billions of dollars. 
           He notes that the
extremely defensive Africanized honeybee could be even more
devastating. This honeybee is well established in the southwestern
United States and is spreading northward into the Central Valley area
of California and into the southeastern United States, says
Calderone. These are the principal queen and package-bee producing
areas that supply beekeepers with new stock to replace losses due
to parasitic mites. "The establishment of the Africanized honeybee in
these areas will result in restrictions on the shipment of bees from
these areas. This, in turn, will severely limit the ability of
beekeepers to restock their operations," he says.

Bob wrote:
Is capensis causing all the problems for the NEW Africanized concern? Although 1.8 million grant sounds like a huge amount of money consider there are 525,000 acres of Almonds in California with projected acres of 595,000 in the near future. Each needs 2 hives per acre for pollination. Almonds WILL NOT produce without bees. Grower returns at present are around one billion dollars. I have been told Almonds are the top ag export. 
 In my opinion the thought of restrictions for africanized reasons
Is rather ludicrous.  What are the USDA not telling us and why do they think they can restrict the spread of AHB in California when the USDA has not been able to stop the spread of AHB anyplace else. 


Migratory pollination, which provides the majority of pollination
services, might be particularly hard hit because migratory bee
operators typically spend the winter in the South and travel
throughout the United States to pollinate crops during the spring and
summer. The establishment of the Africanized honeybee in the southern
states will result in restrictions on the movement of migratory
operations throughout the country, Calderone says.

New restrictions for California for migratory beekeepers  

Because the breeding populations will be maintained using closed-
mating technology, they will be kept free of Africanized honeybee
genes, thereby providing an unadulterated source for commercial queen
and package producers.

Why is Calderone thinking we need to keep a source of bees free of africanized genes? What is the USDA not telling us?  I sincerely hope my analysis of Lloyds posting will encourage beekeepers to ask questions of their friends in the USDA and report back.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison