On Tue, 13 May 2008 10:40:01 EDT, Jerry Bromenshenk <[log in to unmask]> wrote:


>Most common finding - and our own data in a preliminary report to the  NHB
>supports this - chemicals beekeepers throw in hives to control mites  have left
>residues inside hives.  And, our surveys show that beekeepers are  using a far
>wider array of home brew chemicals than we ever suspected.


> qnd why isn't EPA
>testing bees for beekeepers?


I think Jerry hit it on the nail here with his overview of farm chems versus self contamination. I 
figure nothing is going to change though until the industry gets behind a new way of doing 
business. 

The supply houses like Mann Lake and Dadant should remove Apistan and Checkmite from their 
offerings. The two main bee and honey organizations ABF and AMHPA should strip their board 
members of their duties if caught using off label chems,  support and push soft treatments and 
condemn  the use of home brew treatments. Some of the regional packers are part of the problem 
too as they accept wax and honey with self applied chems and have raised internal specs over the 
years to accommodate the off label practices they know is going on. 

If you ask me its time for a new beekeeping organization to form. An organization that puts the 
health of the honeybee and clean name associated with honey as the main focus. I believe we have 
lost our compass bearings. An organization that believes that all beekeepers should be treated 
equal and importing pests from out of state to dump on your neighbor is unacceptable. An 
organization that gets back to the roots of regional beekeeping. 

This hypothetical organization would be a good place to bee associated with when the reports 
become public and show what kinds of chemicals are being self applied and the concentrations 
found.  Remember the Alar scare in apples?  Its coming soon and this time its going to be honey 
that's the concern.  Maybe they can blame Bayer too for that one.........It will not matter if a real 
health risk is present in honey. Just the image of chemicals being used repeatedly in hives will be 
enough for Jane Doe to pass up honey on the shelf. 

Can we seriously think that ABF has any credibility petitioning the feds for a change in how the 
EPA qualifies pesticides? Its laughable really from my perspective, unless while they are at it they  
ask to get Apistan and Checkmite delisted as emergency Section 18 status. 

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