Members of the list might be interested to read Cliff Van Eaton's paper at
http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/disease/beecult.htm that describes the New
Zealand experience.

Cliff presented this paper at the last Apimondia.  I am not at all
suggesting to any of you that it is the way to go for your situation, but I
do have confidence that it is providing us with a cost effective and lower
risk long term solution for dealing with AFB...

Note also that NZ requires the destruction of the bees, combs and frames,
but other parts from infected hives are salvagable by approved means
(generally, paraffin wax dipping to specific times/temperatures).

> You said you DO have a blanket destruction policy is UK for
> AFB.  Has it
> eliminated it? How long have you had it?  Can you point to
> some place in the
> world where it has been eliminated (most places I gather have blanket
> destruction policies for AFB).