No, the actual problem is that beekeepers are excluded and marginalized under the banner of meeting the "pollinator protection" goal set by the (US) President. The membership of the panel was carefully-designed to assure that pesticide use would not face any additional enforcement or restrictions beyond the lax enforcement for which NY is known. Looking from the other side James, (just for thought) who do you think you are? Herre we have a bunch of bug freaks, trying to control what real landowners and others with a vested interest do own their own lands, the ones they bought and paid for and pay taxes on. Now some guy with bugs in a box at the end of the block wants to shut down everything??? Oh wait, some of them Like Jim Doan are from out of the state or out of the area and don't pay any local taxes??? Feel free at any time to buy an area of land and ensure a buffer around your bugs...... It was interesting listen to a huge honey producer tout how we need more CRP ground.... Lets see we as a group, want the taxpayers to pay for more forage for our freeloading bees so we can sell more honey......... Point being simple... look from the other side.... beekeepers are a tiny group, with very little real economic or valuable input. Despite our best intentions as far as I know only one crop really "needs" us, and rest assured they are working hard to fix that..... don't give tehm reasons to work even harder at it.... Charles *********************************************** 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