David,
 
    Don't apologize to the non-American readers!  I am sure plenty outside
    the US are interested in following the response of US beekeepers to Sen.
    Coats intelligent remarks about honeybees.
 
    I suppose there is a larger issue here.  In many countries, there are
    similar threats of reducing or eliminating apicultural research and
    programs by governments in their attempts to address defecits and debt.
    So, the underlying purpose is not necessarily a bad one (ie. to reduce
    government costs), but the politics surrounding it.
 
    It would be most regrettable when valuable research programs (and the
    human expertise associated with it) would be completely disbanded for
    political convenience while based on incorrect or incomplete
    information.  As Mr. Coats has so eloquently demonstrated, there is an
    ongoing need for us, collectively, to educate and keep our politicians
    informed about the indispensable role of bees in modern agriculture.  We
    must also make them aware of the problems faced by the industry and that
    support in research and development is very valuable and cost effective,
    especially when industry has direct involvement in the research
    direction and its implementation.
 
    If reductions are to come, (in whatever country) lets do our best to
    support our politicans by offering well-reasoned and correct
    information. Only then can we expect or hope for an intellegent
    decision.
 
    My best wishes to the American beekeeping industry for their efforts to
    keep apicultural research going!
 
 
    Paul van Westendorp                         [log in to unmask]
    Provincial Apiarist
    British Columbia