Although it took me some time, here is my input to Sen. Coats:
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24 April 1995
Hon. Sen. Daniel Coats
101 N. W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Evansville, IN
47708
Hon. Sen. Coats,
In the April issue of Bee Culture you are credited with two comments that
to me illustrate a profound ignorance and bias with respect to agricultural
research funding, comments to which I feel compelled to reply, as follows:
1) "...the United States doesn't have a problem with screw worms. The
money appropriated by the Congress...is aimed at eradicating screw worms in
Mexico."
By using the name, "screw worms," instead of the appropriate name, "screw
worm fly," you have misled the public, people who should be able to trust
you as a "leader" in our government.
Flies have wings and can easily fly across the Mexican-American border -
its larvae (maggots) are a devastating pest of cattle. Do you really want
to be responsible (at least in part) for a future infestation of American
cattle?
2) "...the United States - to my knowledge - doesn't have a problem with
honey bees. But $5 million was appropriated last year to research them."
The honey bee industry in the United States has an incredible set, problems
that have undoubtedly already been brought to your attention.
* * * * *
What is really going on here? Members of Congress all too often search for
sound bites that can assure re-election. The beekeeping industry is really
quite a helpless group, politically - of enormous benefit to the nation -
but largely invisible with respect to their contributions. An attack on
that group will have no political repercussions but may gain some important
votes. (Hence, it is easy to be a "bully," as we knew such behavior in
earlier days.)
However, Sen. Coats, how diligently have Congress members gone after the
tobacco industry or wealthy people who reap federal subsidies in
agribusiness? When members of Congress show consistency in their
pronouncements, then we will believe they have integrity and the American
taxpayer at heart.
Sincerely,
Adrian M. Wenner (Prof. Emeritus)
Dept. of Biol. Sciences
Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
(Not an agricultural research institution)
cc: Members of worldwide honey bee e-mail network
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