He may be referring to the program in MD to buy up to 5 hives for any
beekeeper - used by many to restock (and by others to simply get into the
hobby or increase their numbers). I believe they pay for it with part of the
tobacco settlement money, but it could be from a federal grant.

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Harrison

"while a federal program  has helped  restock the hives".

...He said the  article implies we were  reimbursed for dead hives by a
federal
program  which  is not true.