I think that Mark and Lloyd are indirectly asking what the desired characteristics of an inspector are or should be.  As a hobbyist beekeeper, I do not care one whit about "conflicts of interest".  I don't think of myself as being in competition with anyone (at least, not for anything more serious than bragging rights).  I keep bees because I enjoy it.  If the initial statistics from the other discussion thread about club memberships hold true, I suspect that the large majority of beekeepers are in my position.
   
  The characteristics I want in an inspector are:
   
  1.  Experienced and technically competent enough to have earned the right to an opinion.  In my admittedly limited experience, competence is not unique to commercial beekeepers, sideliners, hobbyists or academics.  Neither is incompetence.  There are good and bad beekeepers in all those categories.  
  1a.  Mere survival of one's colonies is not necessarily a good indicator of expertise.  My bees may be surviving but that's no guarantee that my pet practices and beliefs about _why_ they survive are correct.  The truth is that some survive despite their practices, not because of them.
   
  2.  Willing and able to teach.  An inspector has to do more than just find bad stuff.  A good inspector has to help me learn how to deal with it.
  2a. This one is a bit more controversial but important to me.  Stick to the mainstream when giving advice.  I don't really care what you do in your own hives.  In your role as inspector, give me advice that is reputable and time-tested.  Base your advice on peer-reviewed research and established practices.  Be aware of emerging thoughts and techniques and be able to discuss their known advantages and disadvantages with me but please keep that part of the discussion very fact-based.  Don't use your role as inspector to advocate for fringe positions.
   
  3.  Available to do the job.  All the expertise in the world is useless to me if you can't get to my beeyard.
   
  The bottom line is that I want an inspector I can learn from - someone whose advice is worth listening to.  Their "absence of conflict of interest" doesn't make my list.


Mike Rossander
		
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