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Tue, 13 May 2008 20:37:36 -0400 |
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On Tue, 13 May 2008 10:40:01 EDT, Jerry Bromenshenk <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Most common finding - and our own data in a preliminary report to the NHB
>supports this - chemicals beekeepers throw in hives to control mites have left
>residues inside hives. And, our surveys show that beekeepers are using a far
>wider array of home brew chemicals than we ever suspected.
> qnd why isn't EPA
>testing bees for beekeepers?
I think Jerry hit it on the nail here with his overview of farm chems versus self contamination. I
figure nothing is going to change though until the industry gets behind a new way of doing
business.
The supply houses like Mann Lake and Dadant should remove Apistan and Checkmite from their
offerings. The two main bee and honey organizations ABF and AMHPA should strip their board
members of their duties if caught using off label chems, support and push soft treatments and
condemn the use of home brew treatments. Some of the regional packers are part of the problem
too as they accept wax and honey with self applied chems and have raised internal specs over the
years to accommodate the off label practices they know is going on.
If you ask me its time for a new beekeeping organization to form. An organization that puts the
health of the honeybee and clean name associated with honey as the main focus. I believe we have
lost our compass bearings. An organization that believes that all beekeepers should be treated
equal and importing pests from out of state to dump on your neighbor is unacceptable. An
organization that gets back to the roots of regional beekeeping.
This hypothetical organization would be a good place to bee associated with when the reports
become public and show what kinds of chemicals are being self applied and the concentrations
found. Remember the Alar scare in apples? Its coming soon and this time its going to be honey
that's the concern. Maybe they can blame Bayer too for that one.........It will not matter if a real
health risk is present in honey. Just the image of chemicals being used repeatedly in hives will be
enough for Jane Doe to pass up honey on the shelf.
Can we seriously think that ABF has any credibility petitioning the feds for a change in how the
EPA qualifies pesticides? Its laughable really from my perspective, unless while they are at it they
ask to get Apistan and Checkmite delisted as emergency Section 18 status.
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