Hello All,
Tonight I was looking again through the March issue of Bee Culture and
noticed an article by James Fischer (Jim Fischer on Bee-L) on page pg. 64.
After reading the excellent article I pondered how hard it must have been
for Jim to talk our editor Kim Flottum into publishing the article. Even
myself which normally reads from cover to cover had missed the article the
first time around.
I believe all beekeepers should read the article and if a contamination
issue comes up in your country speak out and not cover up or talk down to
the public but as Jim suggests recall and destroy. Quote from article by Jim
Fischer:

"You get "good" PR coverage for doing a recall."

You get grand jury indictments for NOT doing a recall"

I am sure in the U.S. when the FDA confiscated 266,000 pounds of
contaminated honey and destroyed same those importing contaminated honey got
the  picture!

Coverups and talking down known health hazards are not the answer. We all as
beekeepers need to be vocal and see that recalls are made and not excuses
and coverups.

Thanks to Jim for writting the article and to Kim Flottum for having the
guts to publish the article.

The article is about the way Australia handled the recent problem of finding
nitrofuran in honey blended with Australian honey in Australia. Only ONE
Australian packer was responsible. Many  excellent beekeepers and packers
are in Australia so we can not judge a country by the actions of a single
packer & his influance in high places.

I am proud to say when honey from China contaminated with chloramphenicol
was found in the U.S. the leadership of both the AHPA & ABF stood firm in a
no coverup policy.
A few packers wanted a tolerance for chloramphenicol set (small PPB) so the
honey would not be confiscated and destroyed.
I am proud of both groups for taking the position of not on our watch. If a
standard had been set all of the contaminated chloramphenicol honey could
have been fed to the U.S. public !

Bob

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