Peter Dillon made a number of interesting observations:

> The centres of research are there to further the overall efficiency, and up to the present
> have been apparently apolitical/ unbiased regarding where final material has been sent.

> ...Or will it be more like distribution to friends or countries that are at present considered
> as friendly/ useful?

Let me try to clarify my proposal.  I had no interest in bringing "politics" into consideration.
I would hope that my proposed approach would be applied equally to all nations.

I just think that the US should do a better job of respecting the stated wishes of other
countries, and that doing so would have an immediate positive effect.
(Perhaps not the sort of effect that some countries would want, but one should
learn to live with one's decisions, or change one's policies, quick.)

a)  If a country wishes to prohibit imports of bees or bee products from the US
     (for example, the ongoing Canadian ban) then the US should respect their
     stated policy, period.  No exceptions.

b)  Even if a country wants to make an exception to their own laws, regulations,
     or biosanitary barriers, the US should respect the philosophy that prevents
     normal day-to-day shipments, and decline to ship "prototype" bees or bee
     components until a protocol can be negotiated to also the regular shipment
     of bees, honey, whatever.   (This would require the development of port-of-entry
     inspection protocols, since everyone has the right to inspect, and prevent the
     entry of the pests and diseases that are the basis for the valid concerns
     that all have, and should have.)

c)  Since, as Peter said, "Research and production of refined stock lines is
     not unique to the US", there may be little or no impact as a result.

But I'm guessing that this sort of a policy would make a large number of people as
uncomfortable with the idea as Peter is, and bring a number of parties to the table
with a much more "cooperative" and "pragmatic" view towards imports and exports.

> How much was paid...

This is not about money at all.  Its about policy.  If a country has a policy of viewing
beekeeping products (bees, honey, whatever) from the US as "impossible" to import,
then the US should strictly respect their views, without question or exception.  The results
of state or federal tax-funded research should not be distributed to any country that prohibits
such items.  The risks of distributing a pest or disease are clearly too high in the view of some
countries, and their view should be consistently, unconditionally, and firmly respected until they
change their general policies.  Imagine the careers that would be destroyed if a shipment of
the super-queen du jour turned out to be the carrier of some pest or disease.

> If restricted distribution practice becomes the norm., would this not eventually lead
> to the common situation found in the agro-chemical industry, i.e. restricted access
> to information, and that which is in the public domain being supported by biased info?

I'm not saying that anyone should limit the free exchange of scientific ideas, but
germplasm and queens are not ideas or information, are they?  They are items that
these countries have clearly indicated that they do not want from the US.
Who are we to question their wisdom?

> Are all previous "gifts" to be ignored and a fresh start initiated as from the present?
> Anything now produced to be considered as a "commodity", to be traded with profit
> being the sole "raison d'etre"?

That question is better asked of those countries who recently chose to unilaterally restrict
or ban imports of bees and/or honey as a default policy under WTO SPS considerations.
I'm not questioning their right to do so - all I'm saying is that there should be no exceptions
to these bans.  None.  Not ever.

Of course, none of this would have even occurred to me if not for the complete lack
of interest in revising the complete nonsense that passes for "biosanitary" considerations
in "World Trade" as implemented in the current WTO and SPS agreements that apply
to bees, honey, and so on.

But everyone seems to be too busy trying to exploit the current nonsense for their
own profit and advantage.   No one appears to want to address the actual root problem.
All I can do is deploy "Weapons of Mass Distraction", and hope that they catch someone's attention.

...and no, I don't sell bees, and I sell all my honey within 4 counties in Virginia.
I have nothing to gain or loose from any of this.  I just hear a lot of beekeepers
constantly complaining about the cards, and I think that they should learn to
simply play the hands they are dealt.

Lesson One: When in doubt, raise the stakes.   :)

                jim

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