I had heard some internet rumors floating around stating that the "EPA is blocking shipment of Apiguard into the USA". Kinda shocked me since it was already approved. I contacted Vita, the manufacturer in the UK, and got a thoughtful response. As is usual with internet rumors the EPA has nothing to do with the current shortfall in Apiguard availability and Vita is working hard to correct it. Hats off to Vita for this honest and detailed reply . . . . . Dear Keth, Thank you for the enquiry. To be clear: the EPA has not and is not blocking Apiguard shipments. We have experienced some problems, however, that have resulted in delayed deliveries to Dadant. It appears that having labels approved by the EPA in Washington in not a guarantee that individual port of entry inspection agents cannot unilaterally move the goalposts. We are doing everything we can to get product to Dadant as fast as we possibly can, but it is all subject to the whims of the EPA and customs agents on the ground. We recently sent some seven pallets by air to try to alleviate the situation but I apologise if phenomenal demand means this supply has already been exhausted. We have a full container on the water and another held up at Norfolk/St. Louis (for X-ray screening in case of WMD, would you believe!). Once this is released it will be inspected by the EPA which should happen this week and will then, finally, get through to Dadant. We had intensive meetings with the EPA last month and we hope we are making progress to solving this issue and getting Apiguard flowing freely into the US again. I apologise for the delay you are experiencing, please be assured that we are doing everything we can to get Apiguard to Dadant and on to beekeepers that desperately need it. Kind regards, Sebastian Sebastian Owen Commercial Development Manager | Vita (Europe) Ltd Vita House, London St., Basingstoke, Hants, RG21 7PG, UK *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at: http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm