<I posted a message to this list a few months ago inquiring about
Organic beekeeping procedures and if there actually are any beekeepers
trying to adhere to such procedures. Noone ever responded.
Peter Borst>

   Terramycin is listed in a chart titled "Pesticides Often Accepted for Use
On or Around Some Types of Organically Grown Produce" in a book called "Pests
of the Garden and Small Farm" (2nd edition) by Mary Louise Flint, director of
IPM Education and Publications for the California IPM Project, and an
extension entomologist at UC Davis.
   Terramycin is derived from a naturally occuring substance. It's
manufactured from fungi.
   The book was published in 1998, so until the new U.S. federal regs. kicked
in recently, this was probably the most current thinking on organic pesticide
use in the state of California, and maybe nationally. California regulations
are significant nationwide because so much of its produce is sold elsewhere.
I've purchased organics in Massachusetts marked "Certified Organic in the
State of California."
   As reported in the media, no antibiotics are allowed under the new federal
regulations.
   Bob Roach wrote: <<The USDA is accepting comments on the proposed rule
until June 13, 2000.>>
  The USDA should be lobbied first to follow the precedent of California in
allowing Terramycin as an organic treatment, and then as a certified organic
treatment in beehives.
   Bob, is there a way to submit comments to the USDA via email or through a
Web site?

   Murray Mcgregor wrote:
   <<...it is quite possible that naturally occurring formic would be
acceptable
and synthetically produced not.>>
   Flint goes on to explain the logic behind this organic vs. synthetic
conundrum, after acknowleding that many find it confusing.
   "Generally there are less environmental and health hazards with pesticides
allowed for organically certified produce than for synthetic pesticides.
However, "organic" pesticides are not without hazard for users—acute
toxicities of some of them are higher than for synthetic alternatives. What
makes organic pesticides safer environmentally is their tendency to break
down more rapidly into nontoxic substances than synthetic materials; as a
result they are much less likely to leave toxic residues in soil, groundwater
or marketed produce."
   So the key, it seems, to the health and environmental concerns that
organic certification is meant to address, is how quickly an antibiotic or
pesticide degrades and becomes inert.
  As we all know, TM breaks down pretty quickly, so much so it's not even
recommended that we apply it in sugar syrup.
   Our formic acid will be derived from a synthetic source probably, but this
is also a substance, as I understand it, that breaks down rapidly.
   I feel much better knowing (at least until I get more information) that
these substances, while not currently "certified" organic, are comparable in
effect to the organics.