> Would commercial beekeepers knowingly bring in infectious hives, knowing that they would cause considerable harm to other beekeepers in the area, just to make a buck?

Sure, but the question really is NOT whether some of the hives are not in ideal condition, but whether they are carrying something that is not already present in California. 

Also, there is the issue of reciprocity. I am pretty sure that California bee and queen producers would not want other states banning California products. The loss of the Canadian market really hurt US bee producers initially, but that has been more than offset by the huge demand for replacement bees and queens within the US. 

We have seen the price of bees rise to unprecedented levels. I think that the industry as a whole benefits from the free movement of bees in and out of California, Florida, Washington state, NY, etc. Any travel restrictions will no doubt meet strong resistance from multi-state operations, as well they should.

Protectionism will only get you so far; ultimately whatever it is you are seeking to exclude wends its way in one way or another and you have to deal with it like the rest of us. 

Case in point: the US border quarantine did not prevent the arrival of tracheal mites, varroa, African bees, Nosema c., etc. It has kept a certain number of other parasites at bay, so it may be a question of buying time, which is worth something. But if there is no specific pathogen left to exclude, blanket restrictions are invalid.

PLB

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