> Oxalic is legal in Canada, thanks to the Canadian Honey Council, but not in USA as I understand.

Correct, not approved for use. Unfortunately, despite the hew and cry about the honey bee decline, the regulators have not been responsive to the needs of the industry. Beekeepers have always been an independent bunch, but the current lack of good approved products has led to the situation where the regulations are not even a factor in most beekeepers' decision making. 

Which is too bad, because pest control regulations are conceived of as a method of protection. They are to protect the pesticide applicator, the livestock, the environment, and the consumer. I am not saying that oxalic acid and formic acid are harmful if used correctly, quite the contrary. 

These are the best things we have right now. But I don't use them because I am trying to stay within the law (I have used legal formic treatments). My point is that over-regulation or unresponsive regulation contributes to a climate where regulations are simply ignored. In the long run this is bad because honey's reputation is damaged and people lose sight of the purpose of the regulations, which is protection -- not excessive and burdensome control.

PLB

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