Hello Allen & All,
> It seems that the Tucson lab is publically taking credit for the project,
> though, so I am not sure how arms length things are -- and were.

I was around at the start attending National meetings at which the project
was discussed both in meetings and privately by beekeepers in the halls.

What I remember of the project:

The project was proposed at a time when beekeeping was not seeing many
problems. I was a Missouri rep to the American beekeeping federation one
year and the ABF made a resolution to push for a way to feed a pollen sub in
syrup. Perhaps a BEE-L member has a record of ABF resolutions and can pull
up the year and resolution.

Then I learned that Tucson Bee lab was going to do the research.

A couple years went by with no cigar. Then I began to hear beeks complain
the research was going no place.

A couple years later and no real progress and complaints from beeks that
they were investing money and no progress. Many said maybe a pollen sub able
to be fed in syrup was a pipe dream.

I believe national organizations may have tossed funding into the research
but only an opinion. Pat Heitkam has told me personally that he invested
money.

Then I learned from Pat Heitkam that Gordy had discovered the key was to
mill the product finer. Then I heard Gordy had said milling the product
finer had produced the product able to be fed in syrup.

Pat heitkam's son drove the first bags to a mill in California to produce
the first batch ( personal conversation with Pat)

Then we learned Gordy was leaving the Tucson lab to produce and sell
megabee.

Both Gordy, Frank E. and the Tucson Bee lab said that megabee was the answer
to our prayers!

Then came the sticker shock! Then came as David said today the discovery
that megabee became mud in feeders.

end of what I know!

bob

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