Hi Chris

In some circles I was known as two-veil Gav for a while!  On the supposition that I'd look even better under more than one.  Murray, you'll have spotted, can show his face on national TV with no veil at all.

I'll change the subject line, as there is a tangent brewing.

> As I heard it, there isn't compensation for Foulbrood in Scotland.  

Those lucky enough to be members of the Scottish Beekeepers Association get free compensation for up to 10 hives along with their ridiculously cheap membership fee of 25 UK pounds (it also pays for the monthly magazine).  You can pay for compensation cover for more hives.  The only drawback is that if the total claims in any one year amount to more than 10% of the fund, then everyone's claim is reduced pro rata.  For 2009 we decided to waive this limit.

The scheme was set up to encourage members to come forward when they suspect disease, knowing that there would be some support for them should their colonies be condemned.  Now that we've wakened up to the problems lurking in Scottish hives (and now that we have a proactive inspectorate) this scheme is going to be under considerable strain.  So no, we don't have the BDI in Scotland that BBKA members and others in England benefit from but we do have our own system.

Murray ... who I fully expect to join the SBA in 2010 ;-) ... has a couple of hundred fold greater than the 10 hive limit and might have a considerable supplement to pay should he decide to insure his stock.  In general commercial beekeepers have carried their own risk and made no particular provision for the damaging losses from large disease outbreaks.

all the best

Gavin

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