Hello All

There was a recent exchange on the Irish List following the publication of
the article on FGMO in The American Bee Journal. I show below a reply I
sent to that List, comparing IMHO the value of discussion on a treatment
with the value of using that treatment.

It matters not a jot or tittle to me, or I would suggest to any other FGMO
user, how many or how few beekeepers use FGMO. Unlike the Bayvarols of this
world no money will ever be made with FGMO so the number of users is of no
importance.

If it works for me then that is all that is important to me. When I make
information on FGMO available, I do so for the sake of the beekeepers who
may wish to use it. The others continue as they always have, and good luck
to all.

Imagine if you will, 20 beekeepers gathered together, just like on this
List. And then imagine that they all dish out their theories on how good or
how bad FGMO is , just like on this List. What, may I make so bold as to
ask, is learned? Just like many debates on many other subjects, the
participants leave the debate with the same views as they started with, by
and large. So little if anything is learned about FGMO using this route.

And when the debate goes on long enough, trite silly comments like the
reaction between FGMO and smokers and ... - Oh let me tell you a couple of
good ones that were trotted out at a meeting I attended in the last couple
of months.

Tom B. Varroa mites cannot develop resistance to FGMO because of the vast
difference between the spiracle sizes of bees and mites.

Beekeeper: How do you know that the mites could not enlarge their spiracles
to defeat FGMO. (I kid you not - I had difficulty in believing my ears, as
you may have believing your eyes!). Varroa mites the size of bees!!!!!

Tom B. FGMO is liquid paraffin and is a food grade product.

Beekeeper: Suppose that I had some honey treated with FGMO could I get
diarrhoea?

But may I make a suggestion? Suppose that these same 20 beekeepers started
using FGMO with strict adherence to the rules, and let the results speak
for themselves. Then something would be learned. How about it? And the more
beekeepers who use it the more will be learned.


Sincerely
Tom Barrett
Dublin
Ireland






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