> Under WAS rules, who wins and who loses cannot be a consideration.
> Phtytosanitary determinations and international rules should decide the
> outcome.

If one looks farther into the crystal ball you see the 10 lane expressway
being built from Mexico ,passing Kansas City (which has been constructing
the huge mega truck terminal at the former air base for a few years) which
ends at two entrances into Canada. Right now Mexican drivers can only go
inside the U.S. so many miles but efforts are underway to let Mexican trucks
run all the way to Canada. The teamsters Union has been the only reason in
my opinion Mexican Drivers can not go all over the U.S. already.

NAFTA & the WTO have quietly changed the rules.

The new interstate 69 will be in like any other hwy in the world. Big 
brother
will know the ID of all the people entering and exit the hwy and monitors
will pin point the location of each vehicle with the punch of a computer
key. Will be years before completion but work has started. The idea has its
opposition for sure but plans have been in the works for a very long time.

> Nonetheless, money talks and we are in the early innings.  Which lobby is
> stronger -- almonds or beekeepers?

Not much doubt here. Almond growers are the most powerful by far.

The U.S. beekeeper lost the battle with foreign honey. Quietly many U.S.
packers selling under the U.S. label mix in foreign honey to stay in
business. Foreign honey is entering the U.S. at unheard of prices. In my
opinion to capture the market.


> We have seen what the almond people can do -- instantly and effortlessly
> bringing millions and millions to bee research which was on life support
> and gasping its last breath.

The almond growers have always had the U.S. beekeepers interest at heart in
my opinion but they have a huge amount of investment in those groves. I
believe in the end the California farmers will win the battle with the
environmentalists. I have read unemployment in the central valley is close 
to
30% because of last years water restrictions over possible extinction of a
minnow. A  minnow? I am a member of the Sierra club and at times upset
fellow members when I say let the minnow go extinct! People first!

> Beekeeper groups have been wasting their ammo on one another and
> in-fighting for decades.

True and little is accomplished by these groups.


  Every time the industry pulls together -- even a little --
> both factions are astounded.  Normally National meetings draw numbers in
> the hundreds, but I hear that Galveston has over 1600 pre-registrations,
> even though nobody is expecting great weather.

The above is mainly a social event for many.

Resolutions made at board meetings almost never become solutions. Look at
past resolutions which went nowhere.

Still I encourage beeks to attend. get involved! Be informed!

back to my Spanish lessons!

bob

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm