Thanks Trevor for taking the time for a detailed response, I do feel somewhat relieved at the levels of inspection and the track record of your government in eradicating foreign pests.

However I would challenge the idea we have a shortage of honeybees in the USA. While the winter of 06/07 suggested a possible future shortage I have seen no indication of real shortages that caused any crop failures. 

I believe the underlying premise of importing bees is; pressure from the Almond growers to affect the supply/demand curve for bees and depress pollination costs AND  the economic incentives of a few beekeepers in the USA who handle the packages/queens. 

This so called crisis is trumped up in my view and some beekeepers and the Almond Board are taking advantage of the never ending stream of disappearing bee news stories and ignorance of government officials.  Could the benefactors of this importation be a source of the never ending stream of disappearing bee stories in the media? 

Marla Spivak is rolling out a hygenic certification program for any race of bees and has graciously given her time to helping CA queen breeders to improve their stock now in its second year. More beekeepers then ever appear to be raising their own queens and we now have two good AI sources of VSH. 

Attempts to portray the Aussie genetics as somehow beneficial is not credible in my view and 180 opposite of the movement underway to disseminate resistant genetics. If we need new and novel genetics look no further then to Sue Cobey and her efforts to see a controlled and scientifically based means with minimal risk as a model that protects our industry without lining the pockets of almond growers and a few beekeepers. 

This importation program has few merits outside of CA and carries an inherent risk . It needs to be terminated asap before it becomes further entrenched in the industry and becomes like varroa, another parasite on the industry thats impossible to eradicate. 

p.s. to the non believers I challenge you to show me ONE bee researcher in the USA that would go on record in supporting this importation. 

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