If the comments of Andy Nachbaur and Adam Finkelstein are good
indicators, we shouldn't have trouble getting access to compete
fairly on the US market.  If what they believe is true, we simply
wouldn't be able to sell any, as there would be no demand.
 
#We don't have any idea on what your problems are other
#then you would like to have part of our market and say your country
#is "disease free". This is at odds to what your beekeepers tell us
#when they come to visit, work and learn?
 
Cryptic enough.  What does it mean?  Are you suggesting that New
Zealand is aware of bee pests and diseases that we don't declare
to the rest of the world?  That unnamed individuals that you've
met know that we have pests and diseases that we keep hidden from
the rest of the world?
 
And Andy, go back to re-read the posting.  Apart from the title,
where I refer to 'Pest/disease free bees...', I don't talk about
New Zealand being pest or disease free.  It's not.  We DO have
bee pests and diseases, we inspect SERIOUSLY, we monitor and
conduct exotic surveillance, we have registration of sites to
ensure we CAN identify and respond to any potential outbreak as
effectively as possible.  And we have export certification that
ensures we comply to provide the product we claim to provide.  We
DO know what pests and diseases we have, believe it or not!
 
So far I've heard why no one would WANT to buy our bees - they
don't come from an area with ENOUGH pests and diseases and
shipping damages queen potential.  How about some reasons why we
shouldn't be given the chance to try?
 
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          Nick Wallingford
 (East coast, N Island, New Zealand)
     Internet [log in to unmask]
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