Hi All,
APHIS is revisiting the issue of the Australian bee imports.
I have visited Australia these past two years, and my impression was that
they are excellent beekeepers and bee breeders. They have strong stocks,
and a thriving export market.
I have visited the site of the *Apis cerana *incursion, and agree that there
is virtually no chance of them exporting either the Asian Bee nor any new
mites at this time.
I feel that the above are not substantial issues.
However, APHIS is finally realizing that there is substantial risk of
importing viruses present in Australia, but not yet detected in the U.S.
I post this note with reservation since I personally know the major Aussie
bee exporters, and consider them friends. I do not wish to cause any harm
to my gracious hosts, but there are biological concerns at stake. I also
know the major American importers, and also consider them friends. I
realize that the imports are both politically charged, plus have major
business implications on both continents.
I also realize that unilateral action by the U.S. will be relatively
meaningless if it is not coordinated with action by our contiguous
neighbors, Canada and Mexico.
I encourage you to investigate this issue yourself, and to draw your own
decisions.
You can view the draft at
http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=APHIS-2010-0001
Click on the Adobe icon for APHIS-2010-0001-0003 (the previous release
erroneously had the 2002 doc attached)
I suggest that you read page 19 about viruses. Note that there are a number
of bee viruses found in Australia that have not yet been found in the U.S.
Some of them could potentially be quite virulent, especially since our bees
have apparently not yet been exposed to them.
The draft does not mention that there are various strains of each of the
virus species. Simply referring to KBV as a species, is like referring to
the human influenza virus as a species, where in fact the various strains of
each virus vary greatly in virulence. There is ample evidence that the bee
RNA viruses exist as "swarms" of variants, which are continually evolving.
We have no idea whether a form that is relatively benign in Australia, due
to the absence of varroa, might be devastating in the U.S., with varroa
present as a vector or initiator.
If you wish to submit a comment, go to
http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=APHIS-2010-0001
Then click on the little bubble that says "Comments due 5/14/10"
This will take you directly to the correct form to submit comments via the
web. Comments refer to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0001, but the link takes you
directly to the right place.
Randy Oliver
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