>Thanks again Randy, I apologize  for jumping on you as I did!

No problem Bob.  I have personally seen the sort of minor kill typically
associated with corn planting dust, and spoken at length with beekeepers
who have suffered from more severe kills.  In most cases, the colonies
recover and produce honey.  The problem is that there are often other
variables involved.  If the colonies are stressed by another variable (such
as near starvation or high nosema levels at planting time) then such a dust
kill can tip a colony over the edge.

From the regulators' perspective, the number of serious kills may be
considered to be "reasonable" unless beekeepers report all incidents.  Even
so, I absolutely do not feel that the unlucky beekeeper should be forced to
absorb his losses without compensation.

Re Pete's question about why beekeepers place bees near corn.  Pete, fly
over the Midwest sometime--I concur with Steve in that for beekeepers in a
number of states, there are virtually no locations not within flight range
of corn.
-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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